Republic of Ireland captain Katie McCabe has expressed her discontent with the "negative distraction" caused by The Athletic article concerning Vera Pauw's tenure at Houston Dash, just ahead of their inaugural World Cup.
This week, The Athletic disclosed new allegations from four former Dash players and three former staff members, who have chosen to remain anonymous.
The article outlines several instances of Pauw's behaviour, including comments about players' weights and eating habits, a desire for "total control" over training, meals, and injury protocols, disparaging remarks towards American and English players, and instances of physical aggression on at least two occasions.
However, the article also features responses from the Ireland manager, who presented 12 statements from players and assistant coaches during her time managing Scotland, South Africa, The Netherlands, and Houston.
These allegations follow previous claims in December 2022, where the Ireland boss was accused of engaging in similar weight-shaming practices towards players.
Today, Ireland is set to play France in their final match before departing for the World Cup. The press conference held on Wednesday, attended by the Ireland boss and captain McCabe, was intended to focus on the Girls in Green's upcoming game against France. However, it was dominated by questions regarding Pauw's time in the United States.
Katie McCabe explains her relationship with Vera Pauw, whether the wider group supports their manager and the impact of the external noise at this stage of preparation. pic.twitter.com/JPOVNXxPk0
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) July 5, 2023
McCabe was questioned about the surrounding controversy involving manager Pauw and responded by saying, "Of course, it is a genuine negative distraction. However, our sole focus is on the upcoming match against France, one of the top five teams in the world. It's a significant send-off game in front of our fans, which I unfortunately couldn't participate in two weeks ago, so I'm looking forward to leading the team out."
She continued, "We have a crucial four or five weeks ahead of us in Australia. Despite the external noise, our complete attention is on this period and staying united as a group."
When asked if every Ireland player had a positive relationship with Pauw, McCabe acknowledged that relationships can be tense at times but emphasised the importance of professionalism. She replied, "I cannot speak for each and every player. Naturally, Vera has a management style that we have become accustomed to over the past two years. We have worked together, and we have had disagreements, as expected. It is impossible to always be in complete agreement with your manager. She challenges me, and I challenge her."
McCabe added, "In my opinion and based on my personal relationship with Vera, we have certainly clashed on numerous occasions, but we always maintain professionalism to ensure our complete focus is on the team. We both genuinely want what is best for the Ireland women's national team moving forward."
She concluded the 28-minute press conference sarcastically, saying, "It has been an absolute pleasure discussing the World Cup, gentlemen. I truly appreciate it."
Ireland will face France tonight at 8 pm, with live coverage available on RTÉ Two
