Carla Ward urges Ireland to thrive as favourites in World Cup playoff against Kazakhstan

It’s unlikely a trip from Sydney to Astana was on Stephen Neligan’s bingo card last week, but for a man who once worked in a sewage treatment plant and ended up as assistant manager of Everton’s women’s team, career swerves are nothing new.

The Australian has joined Carla Ward’s Republic of Ireland set-up in advance of the World Cup qualifying playoff against Kazakhstan, the first leg of which takes place in Astana on Friday (12pm Irish time) before Páirc Uí Chaoimh hosts the return leg next Tuesday (7.30pm).