Ireland defender Diane Caldwell didn’t mince words when describing her former head coach Vera Pauw, saying the team succeeded “in spite of” the Dutchwoman.
Pauw’s four-year tenure as Ireland coach ended last month, after the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed it wouldn’t offer the coach a new contract.
Though Pauw led Ireland to its first-ever women’s World Cup, Caldwell still took a dim view of her team’s former coach at a press conference on Tuesday.
“From my position, as a pretty experienced player, I don’t think it was up to the standard expected at international level,” Caldwell said.
“I think the results and performances that we got were in spite of Vera being our coach.”
Caldwell, 35, made one appearance at the 2023 World Cup, which ended in the group stage following defeats to Australia and Canada and a draw with Nigeria.
The defender hinted that Ireland could have gone farther at the World Cup were its preparation better, putting the blame squarely at the feet of Pauw.
“I think there were many areas that could have been better,” Caldwell said.
“After the European campaign [in 2021], myself and Katie [McCabe] also reflected with Ruud Dokter [then the FAI’s high performance director] about certain aspects that needed to be improved and changed, but ultimately that fell on deaf ears and she got a contract extension.
“Our preparation for games could have been better – physical preparation, opponent analysis, match tactics, in-game match tactics, changes, systems of play.
“What was happening under Vera? I think a group of players that were destined for success came together at the right time.”
Pauw has been previously hit with allegations of body shaming and excessive control, which were made against her in last year’s NWSL/NWSLPA joint investigation. As a result, Pauw was conditionally banned from the NWSL.
Pauw, who coached the Houston Dash for one season in 2018, has vehemently denied the allegations against her, saying earlier this year: “These allegations in the report are absolutely ridiculous and false. There is no truth in it, and I know I find a lot of safety in the truth.”
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