Eileen Gleeson: Irish squad offers full support to former players who spoke out

Republic of Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson has said that the entire squad offers its full support to those players who shared their experiences for the joint RTÉ/Sunday Independent investigation into alleged unwanted or inappropriate sexual advances from FAI coaches in the 1990s.

Speaking ahead of her side's Euro 2025 qualifier against England at Carrow Road on Friday, Gleeson said that they had discussed the RTÉ documentary 'Girls In Green’ in camp ahead of the game and said that it was a difficult period for everyone.

"In terms of it being a difficult week for football, it’s a difficult week for women and girls as well in football," she told RTÉ Sport’s Tony O’Donoghue.

"For me personally, it was awful to watch and to listen to the girls recount their experience.

"From me, from the girls, we offer our full support and we fully support the investigation and solidarity to the women for coming forward and sharing their experiences.

"Of course we discussed it with the team, it was very important I think to do that. (We) gave them the information that the programme was coming and of course the girls would have watched the programme and then we discussed it the next day.

"The (interim) CEO (David Courell) and of course Aoife Rafferty (people & culture director) came in and discussed openly the safeguarding and support lines and ways to report if you needed to – having that transparency.

"Really important on a personal level, people are deeply affected by this and rightly so. It’s important that this can trigger other emotions within the players. We are in a camp at the same time so it’s trying to manage that while acknowledging that and making sure that everyone feels supported."

Last Sunday’s documentary aired on the same day