Amber Barrett was the hero when Ireland qualified for the 2023 World Cup with her Hampden Park play-off winner against Scotland.
Ireland’s Amber Barrett(Image: INPHO/Ryan Byrne)
Amber Barrett wants to ditch the ‘super-sub’ tag – but she is willing to accept any role that Carla Ward hands her as Ireland bid for a long-shot automatic World Cup spot.
The Girls in Green face the Netherlands in Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow and France next Monday in Grenoble, knowing two wins would send them to Brazil next year.
Anything less and a play-off spot later this year is already in the bag.
Barrett has produced the goods time and again from the bench. Her unforgettable play-off winner against Scotland came just six minutes after her introduction at Hampden Park.
The 55-time capped star has nine senior Ireland goals to her name and she would love to hit double-figures in the coming days.
But, as always, she will perform whatever job is asked, regardless of whether she starts or comes off the bench.
“I think probably in my own position, that kind of super-sub label has kind of been hanging over my head for a bit of a long time,” said Barrett.
“It’s not ideally something you want but at the same time I’m very accepting of the role that’s given to me at any stage that it is and whatever role that is.
“I’ll give absolutely everything that I have in my capabilities to do the best that I can.
“That wee bit more experience, the more that you go into these games knowing what the game will need at a certain time, that’s been very very good for my position.
“I’ve been able to bring that into games and something similar like the last couple of minutes in Poland where my role was to hold the ball in the corner and take as long out of the game as possible.
“That’s sometimes literally what you’re doing but it’s so important for the team and when it’s something like that you’re more than willing to do it.”
Barrett may well have boosted her chances of a start after moving up the ranks at club level by securing a move from Belgian side Standard Liege to French top-flight outfit Strasbourg.
She has played 10 games so far for her new club, including six starts, and has scored five goals – at an impressive rate of a goal every 112 minutes.
Having previously played in Germany with Koln and Turbine Potsdam, her latest continental move has her learning the lingo with a pronunciation that’s unique within the Strasbourg dressing room.
“I don’t know what it is about being away from home and being in different countries, but I’ve just really loved that new culture aspect and different types of football like I’ve played in Germany, Belgium and France now,” said Barrett.
“The types of football they play in each country is so diverse and it’s something that I feel has really, really helped and shaped my game in a really positive way.
“Working with different coaches, different expectations from teams and learning a new language has been also something that I’ve really, really enjoyed.
“That’s ironic given I wasn’t very good at languages in school, whereas I feel like I’m kind of stuck now trying to speak French with a Donegal accent. It’s a wee bit more difficult than it would like to be.
“England is great, definitely leading the way in terms of professionalism and standards and raising the bar for women’s football but I have certainly loved my journey abroad.
“Being in Europe and being able to travel when I get that opportunity with time off and stuff is great.
“I’m a train ride away from three or four different countries in my current position.
“I think you know as much as I love playing football life is also too short to be stuck in one box all the time so I’ve really enjoyed that aspect of it as well.”On the pitch, she feels the move has improved her already as a player.
“It’s been brilliant for me and definitely I think it has lifted my standards and put me in another level where I thought I could reach,” said Barrett.
“It’s not easy moving halfway through the season, it’s not a case of you are just moving 20 minutes down the road.
“You are moving to a new country, you are leaving behind something you have known for the last two and a half years.
“I was very grateful to Liege and for everything they did for me, but I think the time to move was right and I think I made the right decision with that.
“Then it’s the learning experience of going into a new environment, adjusting to the league, of course the quality of the players is much higher than what I was used to, so probably for the first couple of weeks I was at the adapting stage.
“But then when I found my feet, and I always have that inner belief that I can settle very quickly, and I think I did, as soon as the first goal goes in, then my confidence is ready for the next opportunity.”