Ireland prepare with Indiana training camp
Friday 24 April 2009
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Noel King believes the training camp will help Ireland take another step forward (©sportsfile)
The Republic of Ireland will spend eleven weeks in the United States this summer as they prepare to build on their fine UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ showing in 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifying.
Indiana trip
Ireland will be hosted by professional club FC Indiana, who won league titles in 2005, 2007 and 2008, and have a European connection in the shape of Polish coach Shek Borkowski and Spain forward Laura Del Río. Along with a residential training camp, Noel King's side will play several teams from the new high-profile WPS league, including Chicago Red Stars, home of England's Karen Carney and Ireland player Mary Therese McDonnell, and Marta's Los Angeles Sol. Ireland reached the UEFA European Women's Championship play-offs for the first time last year, losing to Iceland, and begin 2011 World Cup qualifying in Switzerland on 19 September, with Russia, Israel and Kazakhstan also in Group 6.
'Huge strides'
King said: "This camp has the potential to be a milestone for the development of women's football in Ireland. Over the past eight years, we have been making huge strides on the international front and it is obvious that this type of preparation is the next step if we are to compete with the top teams in the world who are all full-time professionals."
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