Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson on the moment she decided to change her mind about the job

Newly appointed Republic of Ireland head coach Eileen Gleeson during a media conference at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin

Ireland's new head coach Eileen Gleeson has revealed October’s rain-soaked win in Albania was a pivotal turning point that led to her changing her mind about applying for the permanent gig.

With her new deal initially lasting until the end of the Euro 2025 campaign, Gleeson admits having the biggest job in Irish women’s football is the proudest time in her life, having previously applied for the role on two separate occasions.

There was no update on the new backroom team ahead of next year’s Euro qualifiers, which begin in April after the draw on March 5, but Gleeson expects there to be an announcement in early January.

Gleeson took charge of the senior women’s side in August in a caretaker capacity in the wake of Vera Pauw’s dramatic post-World Cup departure. When the 51-year-old replaced Pauw, she made clear it would only be on a temporary basis and remained committed to continuing in her role as the FAI’s head of women’s and girls’ football.

But after guiding Ireland to promotion to League A with six Nations League wins from six, the ex-Peamount boss has since revealed that as time went on, her desire for the permanent job only increased, to the point in which she applied in October.

And speaking to the media for the first time since being appointed, Gleeson admitted as she stood in torrential rain watching her side grind out a 1-0 win in Shkoder last October, she knew she had to apply for the job for a third time.

“If you’re asking for a critical, specific time where I changed my mind, it was standing in the rain in Albania. I mean, who wouldn’t want to be there?” said Gleeson, at today’s press