We know what Vera Pauw has done. What’s been forgotten – because of the growth in profile, professionalism, standards – is the environment she was coming into, having to be encouraged and cajoled to join, eventually not wanting to leave.
The Irish women's football team’s coach deserves credit for bringing them all the way to the World Cup, but her disproportionate focus on defence and noisy reactions to ongoing US investigations need to change if the FAI is to keep her in the job. Analysis by Louise Lawless in Australia.
Saudi Arabia has stunned the football world with an offer of £259 million for French giant Kylian Mbappé. It came just 24 hours after the death of Trevor Francis, the first player to earn a £1 million transfer fee. Professional football is now chasing the money as never before, even if it leads to some dark places.
Despite the disappointing score, Irish players and supporters alike stand out in the tournament’s composite atmosphere. Louise Lawless reports from Australia.
Thirty years ago, the Premier League began, developed from the frustrations of the big clubs. It has been an astonishing success story, which has brought its own problems for the sport.
The World Cup is unlikely to change anything for the better in Qatar, except to provide a magical illusion of progress for the duration of the tournament.
Gareth Southgate's England are on the verge of another major Euro semi-final but they still look like a team in need of a plan.
Despite the absence of fans in sports arenas, Irish company Future Ticketing continues to grow in lockdown, sealing two new deals and working through more in the pipeline.
A number of the 78 members of the FAI are concerned about the power of independent directors on its board. New research concludes that the reputation of football's governing body has been “severely damaged” as the association prepares for a crunch meeting.
Building on the ruins of the FAI, a new approach inspired by the ill-fated transfer of Wimbledon FC to Dublin and the success of Leinster Rugby could bring Irish players back to the forefront of the world’s most popular game – and lift all boats for clubs around the country.
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