Soccer-'Obsessed' Ward brushes aside Villa talk before Ireland playoff

Ireland women's manager Carla Ward said she remained "obsessed" with reaching next year's World Cup and would not allow media speculation linking her with a return to Aston Villa ‌to distract her from the playoffs. Ward's Ireland team visit Kazakhstan on Friday in the first leg of their round one playoff, with the winners facing either Poland or Belgium in another ‌two-legged tie for a place in the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.

Villa recently dismissed Natalia Arroyo and placed Brian Sorensen, the club's technical adviser, in interim charge. Sorensen had only recently been appointed as Ward's assistant with Ireland, but was subsequently unable ‌to take up the role.

Ward spent three seasons in charge at Villa before stepping away in May 2024 to take ‌a break for family reasons and was appointed Ireland manager in January 2025. "I think it's always nice when you see your name batted about with top jobs and it shows maybe the work that we are doing," Ward told RTE on Thursday.

My concern right now ⁠is four games. I'm obsessed with getting to ⁠a World Cup, obsessed with the next four games.

Nothing can take my focus away from that because that is what I came here to ⁠do. Ward's Ireland contract expires at the end of the World Cup campaign, but she declined to be drawn on whether she would have preferred a new deal before the playoffs.

"It's not of my concern, honestly," Ward replied. When those four games are over, I'm sure we'll have.

Ward's situation contrasts with that of Ireland men's manager Heimir Hallgrimsson, who signed a new contract until the end of the Euro 2028 ⁠campaign, before his team lost to the Czech Republic in their World Cup playoff in March. I can't comment on that, Ward ⁠said.

"I can't comment on the ⁠timing. I can't comment on those decisions.

All I can say is my focus is firmly on the next four games." Ireland are without suspended captain Katie McCabe for the first leg, but ‌the Chelsea defender ‌will be available for Tuesday's return game in Cork.