Eileen Gleeson

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Eileen Gleeson
Personal information
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Blacklions
Ballymun United
Hamman Celtic
Managerial career
2000–2004 Ballymun United
2004–2006 St James's Gate
2006–2014 Peamount United
2014–2017 UCD Waves
2019–2021 Republic of Ireland (assistant)
2021–2022 Glasgow City
2022–2023 FAI Head of Women and Girls Football
2023–2024 Republic of Ireland
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Eileen Gleeson is an Irish association football manager who was most recently head coach of the Republic of Ireland women's team. She has also held the role of the Football Association of Ireland's (FAI) Head of Women and Girls Football, as well as being Assistant Coach to Vera Pauw with the Ireland women’s team. At club level, Gleeson has coached Glasgow City of the Scottish Women's Premier League and Women's National League (Ireland) sides UCD Waves and Peamount United, who she guided to the last 32 of the 2011–12 UEFA Women's Champions League.

Playing career

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As a player, Gleeson played in the Civil Service League with Blacklions and in the Dublin Women's Soccer League with Ballymun United and Hamman Celtic.[1] She characterised herself as a hard-working but limited player: "I wouldn't be highlighting anything about my playing days."[2]

Coaching career

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Early coaching career

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Gleeson began her coaching career with Ballymun United in the Dublin Women's Soccer League and also had a spell with St James's Gate.[3]

Peamount United

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Gleeson served as manager of Peamount United between 2006 and 2014. Under Gleeson, United became one of the most successful women's football teams in the Republic of Ireland. She guided Peamount United to a treble in 2010, winning the Dublin Women's Soccer League title, the DWSL Premier Cup and the FAI Women's Cup.[4][5] Under Gleeson, Peamount also won the inaugural 2011–12 Women's National League title and the WNL Cup in both 2012 and 2013. Gleeson also managed Peamount during their 2011–12 and 2012–13 UEFA Women's Champions League campaigns.[6]

In the 2013–14 season, when Stephanie Roche scored her FIFA Puskás Award-nominated goal for Peamount against Wexford Youths, it was Gleeson who uploaded footage of the goal on the internet. It later went viral on YouTube.[7][8]

UCD Waves

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The 2014–15 Women's National League season saw Gleeson become manager of UCD Waves. A number of Peamount United players including Julie-Ann Russell, Aine O'Gorman, Karen Duggan, Dora Gorman, Chloe Mustaki and Emily Cahill all subsequently followed Gleeson to UCD Waves.[9] She quit UCD in January 2017, to focus on a PhD. She had obtained a UEFA Pro Licence in 2015.[10]

Ireland (assistant coach)

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In September 2019, Vera Pauw, the incoming manager of the Republic of Ireland women's national football team, appointed Gleeson as her assistant.[11] The two built a strong working relationship during Ireland's unsuccessful UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying Group I campaign, and Pauw was disappointed when Gleeson accepted a head coach role with Glasgow City in October 2021.[12]

Gleeson signed off with a 2-1 away win over Finland. The team subsequently went on to qualify for their first world cup finals appearance with a playoff win over Scotland in October 2022.

Glasgow City

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Glasgow City announced that Gleeson would take over as their new head coach in November 2021, part way through the 2021–22 Scottish Women's Premier League season.[13] The team had dropped points against their rivals Celtic and Rangers and sat 3rd in the table under interim coach Grant Scott. City, who had won the previous 14 titles were eventually beaten to the championship by Rangers – The team rallied under Gleeson to score 55 goals in 18 games securing Champions League Qualification ahead of Celtic. They lost out to Celtic in both the Cup Finals.

The draw for the 2022/23 Champions league pitted Glasgow in a qualifying group with Paris FC, Roma and Servette, who had beaten City the previous campaign. A 3-1 loss to Roma and a 1 - 0 defeat to Servette ended the campaign early.

In the 2022–23 Scottish Women's Premier League season, Glasgow City got off to a flying start with 11 wins and 1 draw in their first 12 games. They sat on top of the table at the end of 2022. It came as a surprise when it was announced that Gleeson was stepping down to return to Ireland. "I would like to sincerely express my gratitude to all at the club for providing the opportunity to be involved with such an iconic women's football club such as Glasgow City," she said. Glasgow City ultimately regained the championship under Leanne Ross, who was promoted from Assistant to Head Coach after Gleeson's departure.

In total Gleeson oversaw 30 SWPL games, winning 26 and losing just once.

Ireland (head coach)

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In August 2023, Gleeson was appointed interim coach following the departure of Pauw,[14] and in December 2023 her appointment was made permanent.[15]

Gleeson's first four months in the role saw a perfect record in the first edition of the UEFA Women's Nations League, as the Republic of Ireland won all six of their group games,[16] securing promotion to UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying League A. League A proved more challenging as the side suffered defeats home and away to England and Sweden and were relegated back to Nations League B, albeit recording a 3-1 home win against France and securing seeding for the UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs.[17] Ireland were drawn against Georgia in the first round of the playoffs, winning 9-0 on aggregate across two legs. In the second round of qualification, they faced Wales, against whom they lost 3-2 on aggregate, missing out on qualification to Euro 2025.[18]

In December 2024, Gleeson's tenure as head coach came to an end as the FAI chose not to offer her a new contract.[19]

FAI Head of Women and Girls Football

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As Head of Women and Girls Football in the FAI, Gleeson was responsible for helping to grow participation and retention of women and girls at all levels of the game, while also supporting wider football development strategies, ensuring a pathway for every woman and girl in Ireland to achieve their full potential.

Managerial career statistics

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League Championship Results
Season Competition Club PLD W D L F A Win % League Position FAI/SFA Cup League Cup
2010 DWSL Peamount United - - - - - - - Champions Winners [20] Winners
2011/12 WNL [21] Peamount United 15 12 0 3 66 15 80% Champions [22] Winners
2012/13 WNL [23] Peamount United 18 14 2 2 80 20 78% 2nd [24] SF Winners
2013/14 WNL [25] Peamount United 21 17 3 1 75 19 81% 2nd [26] Runner Up [27] SF
2014/15 WNL [28] UCD Waves 18 13 2 3 69 14 72% 2nd [29] SF Runner Up
2015/16 WNL [30] UCD Waves 12 8 1 3 38 14 67% 3rd SF Runner Up
2016/17 WNL [31] UCD Waves 12 7 3 2 33 11 58% 4th [32] Runner Up [33] SF
2021/22 SWPL Glasgow City 18* 15 2 1 55 8 83% 2nd Runner Up Runner Up
2022/23 SWPL Glasgow City 12** 11 1 0 43 5 92% Champions N/A SF
2023/24 UWNL Republic of Ireland 6 6 0 0 20 2 100% 1st place group B1
2024 European Qualifiers Republic of Ireland 6 1 0 5 4 10 NA Group A3
* Gleeson joined the Glasgow City team part way through the 2021/22 season. She took charge of 18 of the 27 League games and finished runner up.
** Gleeson took charge for 12 games of the 2022/23 season gaining 34 of 36 points available. The team finished the season as champions with 83 points from 32 matches.
UEFA Champions League
Season Competition Club PLD W D L F A Final position
2011/12 UWCL [34] Peamount United 5 2 0 3 12 7 Round of 32
2012/13 UWCL [35] Peamount United 3 2 0 1 9 4 Qualifying Round
2022/23 UWCL Glasgow City 2 0 0 2 1 4 Qualifying Round

Honours

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References

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