Eileen Gleeson set to name most crucial squad of her tenure as Republic of Ireland at a crossroads

Tomorrow morning, Eileen Gleeson will name her Republic of Ireland squad for the upcoming Euro 2025 play-off against Wales.

That tie looks like a crossroads as much as a potential bridge to another major tournament.

It's almost a year since the Dubliner was named the permanent successor to Vera Pauw having guided Ireland to Nations League promotion as interim boss.

Gleeson was given an 18-month contract that brings her term up to the conclusion of next summer's Euros in Switzerland.

If Ireland fail to get there however, her future is unclear.

The 52-year-old previously served as the head of women's and girls' football, with the FAI only filling the vacancy last April, when Welsh native Hannah Dingley was named as Gleeson's replacement. Amid a protracted process, there were reports some candidates had pulled out of the race because it was a fixed-term appointment and not a permanent one. It's certainly possible the door is being left ajar for Gleeson to return to her old job at some stage.

Clarity will likely come in the wake of the Wales games, and perhaps the FAI will be wary too of repeating the mistake they made with Pauw, who had to field constant questions about her future up to and throughout the World Cup as the association left her in limbo.

From the outset of her reign, Gleeson has stated it's the intention and expectation of the squad to make the Euros. The Pauw era ended in messy fashion, but it shouldn't be forgotten that Ireland acquitted themselves well at the World Cup after being housed in a very difficult group alongside co-hosts Australia, Canada and Nigeria.

There's an internal belief that they can make a bigger impact on a tournament, specifically by getting out of the group stages.

First, they must qualify of