Evergreen Caldwell welcomes being in the spotlight after criticising ex-boss Pauw
DIANE CALDWELL is one of the many players on the Ireland women’s team doing her coaching badges. Thinking of the next stage. Given all the Balbriggan native has been through in her career, she certainly has something to offer the next generation. It was the veteran defender who pulled the pin from the grenade following Vera Pauw’s departure, outlining the issues that many of the more established players had with the Dutchwoman’s methods. So, Caldwell was perhaps in the spotlight more than most to perform during the Nations League campaign, where Ireland’s six wins from six matches saw Eileen Gleeson become manager on a permanent basis. ‘Yeah possibly I was under more pressure, but you know what? My thinking was, I missed out on playing at the biggest stage at the World Cup and that really, really hurt me,’ she pointed out on a Zoom call from Florence where Ireland play Italy on Friday. ‘When Eileen came in and gave me the chance to start I just wanted to enjoy playing again. I just wanted to embrace having the jersey on my back again, playing in front of the Irish fans. A big moment for me was the Aviva game (against Northern Ireland). I really wanted to do it for myself, to focus on things I can control, focus on playing well and enjoying being out there with the girls again because honestly I really missed that for a long time.’ And even though Caldwell is now 35, she has thrived in the new system under Gleeson. Along with Louise Quinn and Caitlin
Hayes at the back, the trio covered more ground than anyone else over the six Nations League games. ‘It’s not particularly physically challenging because when you have the ball the game is easier,’ she pointed out. ‘I can think of a lot of games I played for Ireland where we didn’t have the ball, and we were just running the whole time. These are really difficult games, you’re under pressure the
whole time, and covering a lot of distance. ‘Covering those distances with the ball is a bit easier, you’re in more control, you’re dominating the game. ‘I wouldn’t say I’ve found it more physically demanding or more difficult like that. It’s a different way of playing. You’re covering the yardage in a different way.’
Caldwell has a muchtravelled career, taking her from Germany to the US, as well as a couple of clubs in the WSL, including a stint at her beloved Manchester United. She’s currently at FC Zurich, who are top of the table in the Swiss league and involved in a threehorse title race with FC Basel and FC Servette. ‘We’re top right now but obviously that doesn’t really mean anything unless you’re there at the end. It’s a different system in Switzerland, the top six go into a play-off at the end of the season so it’s anyone’s for the taking until the final. We have to maintain our consistency and make sure we get into the final and win it hopefully.’ The experiences that
Caldwell has picked up on her travels means she has plenty of wisdom to dispense to the younger players and it’s not difficult to envisage her in a coaching role when she finally hangs up her boots. But that may not be for a while. Next year’s Euros in her new home of Switzerland would make for a fitting swansong.