KATIE McCabe took a trip down memory lane by visiting Kilnamanagh’s Under-9s before linking up with the Ireland squad.
The Ireland captain made time to coach up the next generation of footie aces at what was her childhood club.
The 29-year-old emphasized the importance of always listening to coaches in order to improve[/caption]
She then led them in a shooting drill[/caption]
Last week she helped Arsenal overturn a 2-0 deficit against Real Madrid to secure a spot in the Champions League semi-finals[/caption]
Earlier in the video she’d also paid a visit to her mother’s house[/caption]
She led the youngsters through a shooting drill – coaching up their technique in the process.
The kids hung on every word the 95-times capped star said across the whole session.
They’ll have a chance to see McCabe put her skills in action once again when she leads out the Girls in Green in Greece on Friday for what is the first of a Nations League double-header.
The reverse fixture at Tallaght Stadium will then take place on Tuesday, April 8.
Ireland’s preparations for the pair of games have been hampered by a passport issue which has prevented assistant coach Amber Whiteley from linking up with the squad in time.
The interim Liverpool boss was due to fly into Dublin on Monday and then travel with the squad to Crete yesterday for Friday’s affair.
Heather Payne has emerged as a doubt for that game with an ankle issue which meant she did not train Tuesday morning.
But Whiteley was unable to obtain a new passport after she had cancelled her old one which later turned up.
The FAI’s Head of Women and Girls football Hannah Dingley has taken her place, to assist head coach Carla Ward and her no 2 Alan Mahon.
Dingley has extensive experience from her time as Academy Manager at Forest Green Rovers and Head of Academy Coaching at Burton Albion.
She had a two-week spell as caretaker manager of Forest Green’s men’s team in the summer of 2023 before joining the FAI last year.
Because of her club commitments, Whiteley was not going to be involved for the return game in Tallaght on Tuesday.
Whether Whiteley – who worked with Ward for her first two games in charge in February – has any future role with the Ireland team remains to be seen.
If she lands the Liverpool job on a permanent basis, she would be expected to give up her role with the FAI.
Last week, Ward said Colin Healy would come into the frame for that vacancy if it arises.
The Association came under fire for letting Healy go along with former boss Eileen Gleeson following the Euro 2025 play-off defeat to Wales.
The ex-Ireland midfielder claimed he had received a verbal assurance he would be kept on, something which was strenuously denied by the FAI’s Chief Football Officer Marc Canham.
Ward stood by her assertion that bringing in Healy as her no 2 was not an option, despite Canham’s insistence she had a free hand in bringing in her backroom staff.
Mahon – who effectively replaced Healy – said he would have no issue with Healy being brought in, although whether the Cork man would be interested in a part-time no 3 role after the nature of his exit from the Association is unclear.
Mahon said: “Not a problem at all. I’ve heard good things about Colin.
“I’ve never met him myself, I know of him and we’ve come across each other, but there wouldn’t be an issue on my side or Carla’s side, to be honest.”
