Amber Barrett’s ‘Stuttgart moment’ recalled at Women’s Football Conference

Vera Pauw, the Republic of Ireland women’s national team manager, recalled how Amber Barrett kept a promise in scoring the historic goal to seal World Cup qualification.

At Hampden Park in October, Barrett scored the only goal of the game in a 1-0 play-off win over Scotland.

The Milford woman, who had only just been introduced by Pauw, latched onto a Denise O’Sullivan pass. Barrett was soon slotting home and Ireland were on their way to a first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup.

“She was only seven minutes on the pitch,” Pauw, speaking at the FAI Women’s Football Conference in Letterkenny on Saturday, reflected.

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“That first touch was unbelievable. When she gets into that space, she is really good. She took the touch and it was: ‘Score early!’

“Amber said to me during that week: ‘Vera, if you put me on, I’ll do it for you’. Somewhere, in the moment, I felt it deep down what Amber had said.”

Barrett’s goal was all the more special given that it came just days after the Creeslough explosion.

In an emotional interview on RTE in the immediate aftermath of the game, Barrett, whose grandparents are from Creeslough, dedicated the victory to ‘those ten beautiful souls who unfortunately perished’.

Cathal Dervan, the FAI’s Director of Communications, told the conference, held at the Radisson Blu Hotel, in a pointer to Ray Houghton’s goal against England at Euro ’88, that: “Amber Barrett gave the Stuttgart moment for Irish women’s football.”

Pauw pointed to a 0-0 draw against Netherlands in 2017, prior to her appointment as the Ireland manager in September 2019, as a turning point for the Irish squad.

The Dutchwoman said: “The team lost so many games that a 0-0 against Netherlands was celebrated as if we qualified for a tournament. It was a big moment and one that showed us that we were capable of getting a result.

“If that 0-0 was the 100 per cent, you’re not growing. If you play at a lower level; you will go down to that level. You have to get out of the comfort zone and play better opponents.”

Paul vowed to those present that Ireland will be going to this summer’s finals in Australia and New Zealand to be competitive.

She said: “We always strive to make the impossible possible. We always go for the very best. If not, you are going for second best.”