VERA PAUW INSISTS Ireland are happy with their World Cup training base after a late change to Brisbane’s Meakin Park.
The original selection was Goodwin Park — home to Olympic FC — but Fifa deemed it unsatisfactory and initiated the upgrade to Meakin, a multi-sport facility predominantly used by Football Queensland in the southern suburbs of the city. It’s a 20-minute drive from the Ireland’s Emporium Hotel.
All World Cup venues, training grounds, hotels and transport are operated by Fifa.
The 42 understands the Association originally scouted and selected venues over three years ago, with the redevelopment of Meakin Park within the last year changing Fifa’s decision. Their realisation that Meakin was a better standard ultimately forced the switch.
“It was Fifa’s decision, it was not coming from us at all,” Pauw explained yesterday before an open training session at the venue which approximately 100 fans attended.
“But Fifa was not happy with the quality of the allocated training pitch, so a few weeks ago, they demanded to get [Meakin Park]. They have worked really, really hard to get this pitch ready. And looking at it, they have done an amazing job.
“It may not be all green but it’s flat, short grass and it’s really good to work on.”
In the interim, Ireland had been training at Underwood Park, home to Rochedale Rovers.
“This is better,” the manager added. “It was okay for the first days but not for preparation for the World Cup.”
Pauw is also pleased that the Girls In Green are not embroiled in any monetary rows ahead of their first-ever major tournament.
It’s been reported that England are among those unhappy with performance-related bonuses, while Ireland’s Group B rivals Nigeria are at loggerheads with their association.
Every player will earn at least €28,000 as part of a new model which will see players guaranteed remuneration directly from Fifa. The winners take home €252,000, with amounts increasing the deeper teams go in the tournament.
In the past, each individual federation decided any bonus structure with their own national team. While some federations have agreed a separate scheme with their players in addition to the Fifa payments, multiple media outlets have suggested that the FA has no plans to do so for the reigning European champions.
“We’ve been reading about that,” Pauw said. “The moment that Fifa came out has been very good. And the talks here have been good but I’m not part of that at all.
“Some management has taken part in that with the representation of the players and from what I understand, everything is okay and fine, so well done to everybody.”
While she imagines it could be stressful, she doesn’t believe teams will be overly impacted — and certainly does not hope it affects Nigeria negatively.
“I don’t think when they go on the pitch, they will be influenced by that. Especially not the professionals from England, this is part of their daily life. They don’t want it but I don’t think it will influence them.
“[Nigeria] is our third game so they’ll be in full swing. I’ve coached in South Africa and these issues are quite common. It doesn’t influence the players on the pitch at all. They are so used to these issues that they have to fight for themselves. So well done to them, I say.”
Ireland also face Australia and Canada in Group B, ramping up preparations with an uncapped, behind closed doors game against Colombia at Meakin Park on Friday.
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