Rianna Jarrett: FAI finances could prove key in manager call

Eileen Gleeson may have refused to discuss her future after the Republic of Ireland failed to secure a place at Euro 2025 on Tuesday night, but Rianna Jarrett believes that the FAI's finances will prove a key factor in deciding who will be at the helm of the women's team moving forward.

Gleeson's contract is up after the 3-2 aggregate play-off loss to Wales, with the manager's immediate focus on her crestfallen charges and not her own position after the heartbreaking result.

While the 52-year-old had intimated that remaining in the hotseat and a new contract were of interest prior to the encounters with Wales, this wasn't a topic Gleeson was willing to delve into after the full-time whistle.

"I understand you have an interest in that but I can tell you now, I'm not talking about it tonight, I'm not thinking about it tonight," Gleeson said when asked about any imminent contract discussions with the FAI.

Speaking on the RTÉ Soccer podcast, Jarrett admitted that uncertainty surrounds who will lead the national team into a qualification campaign for the 2027 World Cup.

"It's difficult to predict," the former Ireland international said. "If we look back to the end of the Vera [Pauw] era, who would have predicted that Eileen would have got the job permanently?

"The way the Nations League was set up, she had a really good campaign in terms of when we were in League B.

"Obviously going up to League A was a whole different ball game.

"We got drawn into the group of death. I don't think we'll ever be drawn into a group again with the likes of England, France and Sweden."

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