WHOLE NEW WORLD
IRELAND forward Heather Payne wants to kickstart a bright new era for women’s football by securing World Cup qualification.
The Girls in Green know that a win over Slovakia tomorrow would mean just one play-off game could be all that stands between them and World Cup qualification.
Three points in Senec could certainly make life a lot easier than the alternative, which would mean up to six play-off games, including an intercontinental tournament next February.
It’s not that long ago that Galway native Payne dreamed of becoming a footballer — but had few female role models to look to for inspiration.
Idolise
Following last Thursday’s record-breaking attendance of just under 7,000 for the win over Finland, the 22-year-old knows just how important qualification would be for the game here.
“It wasn’t as obvious for us as girls,” she said of her childhood in Ballinasloe. “I don’t think I did have an Irish women’s (player) to look up to as there wasn’t that focus on it.
“But there is that focus now. All these young girls idolise us in a good way and we can show them, if you want to play soccer, it’s something you can do.
“My heroes were all male, all the top male players, maybe Katie Taylor with the boxing. But I never had a female footballer that I looked up to.
Impact
REPORTS
“It’d be nice if that changed and I think it has changed with England winning the Euros, that’s made a big impact here and in England.”
Payne plays her club football on the US college circuit with Florida State Seminoles. She made her senior Ireland debut in August 2018 and since then the team has gone from strength to strength — missing out narrowly on the play-offs for the recent European Championships before making it to the final qualification stage this time around.
“It hit us when we didn’t qualify for the Euros, that was an absolute downer,” said Payne. “It was hard watching it over the summer and not being there.
“Finland were there and you just think, we should have been there. That’s where we knew we had to step on.
“It’s harder to qualify for a World Cup but we are on the right path now, the whole nation is behind us, you can see all the little girls coming out to watch us, that’s great.”
Started
She added: “Once we started this campaign we felt more and more like we could do it, make the playoffs and we are delighted to do that.
“But we’re not there yet, we still have a long way to go.
“It started with the 2-1 win in Helsinki, that was absolutely massive as Finland were second and we were third.
“That’s where it started and then the draw with Sweden, those results gave us belief that we could do it.
“And again a win on Thursday (at home to Finland) was crucial.”