Vera Pauw will not continue as national coach of Ireland. The Football Association of Ireland decided on Tuesday not to renew her expiring contract. The union did not give a specific reason for the departure. However, director Jonathan emphasized Hill to Irish public broadcaster RTE the positive role the Dutch coach played for Irish football. In particular about reaching the last World Cup, Hill was full of praise “where the football players made history and inspired the whole country”. At that World Cup in Australia, Pauw’s team failed to reach the second round.
Pauw (60) has been national coach of Ireland since 2019. Last December, her name was mentioned in a critical report from the American Football Association about, among other things, her period as coach of Houston Dash (November 2017 to September 2018). In it, she would have acted unusually hard against players because of their diet and weight. Pauw has vehemently denied all allegations, but would have refused to cooperate with the investigation. That exposed a wider story of transgressive behavior in sports – including verbal humiliations, emotional abuse, unsolicited groping and assault.
Pauw, who was also national coach of Orange between 2004 and 2010, announced more than a year ago that he had been raped at a young age by a KNVB official. The Amsterdam was fully supported in that matter by the Irish Football Association.
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