Vera Pauw is dreading the conversations she will have with the players who don’t make her World Cup squad - admitting that she is having sleepless nights over next week’s announcement.
The Ireland boss will name a 23-player squad next Thursday for the finals - and she can take three more ‘training’ players too.
Any of those can be added to the World Cup squad up to the eve of the tournament, if injury rules out one of Pauw’s original choices.
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That will mean heartache for some, with 32 players drafted in for the pre-World Cup training camp.
“It is something that I am really nervous about,” said Pauw.
“I think that is all I should say about it, because it is for them (the players) so much worse than it is for me. The fact that this is coming up gives me sleepless nights.”
Pauw added: “I know that I am going to break dreams, so that is not a nice feeling.”
Pauw, meanwhile, refused to be drawn on the subject of contract talks.
Her current deal expires at the end of Ireland’s World Cup involvement and talks are ongoing with the FAI regarding an extension.
“For now I’m just busy with the World Cup. We need to be ready on the 20th of July. That needs my full, full attention,” she said.
“We have our plans in between the games and we’ll see how far we come. If things are going fine then I’m going to plan for after.
“Let me be clear, I’m very happy in Ireland. Everybody can see that. Everybody feels that. I want to stay. But I’m not part of that process.
“Ciaran Medlar is talking. I’m not involved in that. I do talk of course about the content with management, like I always do, but he takes care of that.”
