Vera Pauw, the manager of the Republic of Ireland, believes it is appropriate that Uefa has launched an investigation after her players were caught performing a pro-IRA song after qualifying for their first World Cup.
After being placed in a difficult group with Canada, Australia, and Nigeria for the 2023 tournament, Pauw believes that the attention will soon shift to football and the enormous strides achieved by the country’s governing body to combat gender imbalance.
Last week, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) apologized for a video that depicted the players celebrating their qualifying playoff victory over Scotland in their Hampden Park dressing room, tainting Ireland’s maiden appearance in a major tournament. In the video, players can be heard singing “Ooh ah, up the ‘RA” — a phrase expressing support for the Irish Republican Army.
“We made a mistake,” the Dutch manager stated. “As soon as you injure one person, you have committed an offense. However, the players had no significance. This is not an excuse, but our players are always visiting schools, children, and clubs. We are always available to serve as an example for others.
“It’s a shame that this occurred because nobody intended it. I hope that we will now play football. There is a Uefa inquiry, which is correct because a claim was made, and we must confront what will be revealed.
“But let me be clear: there are no excuses, and I hope we’ve learned from this experience that you can sing the song your team is embracing, but you must know your history.”
Ireland is rated 24th in the world and will make its tournament debut against co-hosts Australia on the opening day, 20 July, in Sydney. Last year, they defeated the Matildas 3-2 in Dublin, which Pauw described as a “changing point” that inspired “genuine belief that we can accomplish something and improve.”
“We’re simply going to live life to the fullest and embrace it,” she said on Saturday at the draw in Auckland. “The greater the force, the better. It’s not about how many people are in the stands; the focus is on the work you must complete. “The larger the stage, the better, because this is what we’ve always envisioned.”
Since 2017, when the national team went on strike after accusing the FAI of failing to offer proper assistance, including being forced to change in public restrooms on the route to matches and sharing tracksuits with youth-team squads, the women’s game in Ireland has risen dramatically. They were granted more income and resources following mediation.
It was a turning point, according to Pauw. The FAI has responded in a way that no other association has ever done. We have the finest accommodations, stay in the same hotels as the men, and travel on a chartered jet.
“We had equal pay earlier than many nations, like the Netherlands, who are only receiving it now despite being European champions and World Cup finalists in 2017.”
“It has come out well due to the efforts of so many people. Not only the team and personnel, but also the management, the press, and the entire nation’s support. This team’s greatest strength is its cohesiveness. It’s no longer us against them; rather, we’re all working together to achieve greater heights.
