Ward secures ex‑Everton assistant to fill sudden vacancy

Former Everton assistant coach Stephen Neligan has been appointed to the Republic of Ireland women’s national team set‑up on 12.01 pm, 6 October 2026, as a last‑minute addition ahead of the World Cup play‑offs. The move comes after Brian Sørensen became unavailable following his interim charge of Aston Villa.

Why the assistant role was vacant

Brian Sørensen, who had been appointed Ward’s assistant only a week earlier, was named caretaker manager of Aston Villa’s women’s side on Tuesday, leaving the Ireland set‑up short of staff. His departure coincided with the exit of Gary Cronin, who left the coaching team over the summer. Ward confirmed the change from Astana before Friday’s semi‑final first leg against Kazakhstan.

Neligan’s appointment and background

The 44‑year‑old Australian previously worked alongside Sørensen at Everton and Danish club Fortuna Hjørring, gaining five years of Women’s Super League experience. After Sørensen was dismissed in February, Neligan left the Toffees, spent six years coaching in Europe and then returned home to become head coach of APIA Leichhardt FC for the 2027 NSW Women’s season. Ward said, “We’ve brought in Stephen Neligan, he has been in the WSL for the last five years with Everton.”

Deal details and expectations

Neligan will serve as Ireland’s assistant coach for the full play‑off campaign, covering the next two international windows as a minimum. Ward added, “He’s here for the next two windows, the same as we were looking at with Brian, and then we’ll reassess at the end of each campaign.” The appointment therefore secures continuity after the sudden vacancy.

Travel and squad preparation

The squad flew from Dublin Airport on a chartered flight that lasted ten‑and‑a‑half hours, with a refuel stop in Turkey, before arriving in Astana. Players are now adjusting to a four‑hour time difference and cold weather ahead of their first training session. Ward confirmed the squad is fully fit after the long travel day.

Ireland will be without star duo Katie McCabe and Denise O’Sullivan for Friday’s first leg. McCabe is suspended alongside Marissa Sheva, while O’Sullivan has been given rest at her US base ahead of the return tie on Tuesday. The absence of these key players forces Ward to rely on depth in midfield and attack.

Ward warned against complacency, noting Kazakhstan sit 79 places above Ireland in the FIFA rankings. “We’ve used the underdog mentality as fuel, and Kazakhstan will do the same,” she said, noting the Kazakh side treats the match as their World Cup final. If the Girls In Green progress, they will face Belgium or Poland in late November or early December for a place at the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.

The announcement appeared on Alamy Stock Photo and was listed across the platform’s Soccer, Rugby, Golf, Racing, Boxing and Motorsport sections, alongside Live Video Review Podcasts, Extra Football Family Stories and the Upgrade League of Ireland (LOI) coverage. It also featured tags such as Horse, Athletics, NFL and NBA, illustrating the breadth of Sport media attention. The EVERTON link and the role of ASSISTANT were highlighted, and readers can See More Stories about the move in the Football Family Weekly.