Eoin Harrington reporting from SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
Katie McCabe spoke ahead of Ireland v the Netherlands on Thursday, just days after her mega move to Chelsea was confirmed.
The Ireland captain leaves Arsenal this summer after 11 years in North London, with her contract running down to its conclusion at the end of the season.
A childhood Chelsea fan, McCabe said her move to Chelsea had been in the works for some time.
“I’m really excited,” McCabe said at Thursday’s pre-match press conference in Cork.
“Everything’s obviously out in the open before camp, obviously, it was announced on Monday. So, I was glad it was announced and I can kind of concentrate now on the games. Yes, I’m just excited.
Obviously, it’s no secret that I was coming into last year with my contract. I think from January onwards, there was conversations naturally.
Over the course of the last few weeks and months, everything kind of got sorted out, which was really positive.
The image of McCabe in a Chelsea jersey when her signing was announced on Monday was a jarring one, so long has her association with Arsenal been.
Indeed, the Ireland stalwart said the process of leaving Arsenal had been a “difficult” one.
For me, having spent 10 or 11 years at a football club is really special. For me to be able to do that at a football club like Arsenal was amazing.
Growing up there, learning so much as a player and as a person, I’ve got a lot of respect for every single person back at the club and all my teammates. Of course, it’s been difficult over the last few months for me, but I think it’s the right time now for a new chapter in my career.
Having spoken with [Chelsea manager] Sonia [Bompastor] a couple of weeks back, a couple of months back, I understood what she wanted and the project she was trying to create at Chelsea. I wanted to be part of that.
It’s coming to the end of a journey. You’ve been at a football club, I think naturally anyone would find it hard leaving somewhere after ten years. It’s also part of it, it’s part of football.
Your time comes, and I’m just really embracing the next challenge in my career. As I said, I’ve got a lot of respect for the club and the fanbase, and my teammates as well.
There was a bittersweet aspect to her departure. Her exit from the Emirates had been rumoured for months, but it was only confirmed in the final days of the season.
Reports that week suggested Arsenal’s desperate contract offer came too late for McCabe to reconsider her decision, and potentially prevented her from receiving a farewell from the home fans.
“The wheels were in motion,” McCabe confirmed.
“I knew where I was at from that point in time, I knew where my head was at. I was ready to just finish off the last few weeks as an Arsenal player as best I could.
“A big thank you, obviously, to the fans in Liverpool at Anfield, at the time. That meant an awful lot to me. But, I think for me, the decision was made.”
The rivalry between Arsenal and Chelsea is infamous, and some Gunners fans who so adoringly saw off McCabe in her final game for the club at Anfield last month feel somewhat betrayed by her decision to join such a direct rival.
“I empathise a lot, obviously, with the Arsenal fans at the minute,” McCabe said.
It’s not an easy thing to see a player that’s spent so long at a club going to a rival club. But at the same time, I need to put myself first.
This was the best case for me. I know I’m 30 now, but I still feel I’m in a really good place in my career. I feel like I’ve still got a lot to give.
Chelsea have had so much success over the last few years. I want to continue to compete at the top and win trophies and be part of something really special.
Perhaps the confirmation that the past few months had been difficult for McCabe, and her message of thanks to the Arsenal fans, will placate at least some of those angered by
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The Ireland captain was keen to stress that we were, in fact, in this press conference room to preview a World Cup qualifier against the Netherlands.
Ireland still have a (slim) chance of topping their group, and having won on their previous two visits to this stadium, they are ready to make a “statement” once more against the Dutch.
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Ward and McCabe preview Netherlands
Ireland will be without Denise O’Sullivan and Emily Murphy for Friday night’s game, arguably the two biggest forces in their qualifying campaign so far.
Their mutual absence is a massive blow to head coach Carla Ward, but she thankfully confirmed the rest of the squad are boasting a bill of full health.
When France visited Tallaght in March, much was made of Ward’s decision to narrow the pitch to stifle Les Bleues’ attacking presence.
It is widely expected Ireland will do likewise for Friday night’s game, and Ward was coy when asked about the tactic on Thursday.
Have you been out there?
Look…it’s well within its measurements of what it should be, so we’ll prepare for that.
Ireland’s first visit to SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh was the historic 3-1 win over France in 2024, a result which ultimately meant little in the quest for Euro 2025 qualification.
However, a result here could be enormous on the road to Brazil 2027 – victory would set next week’s closer in France up as a straight shootout for automatic qualification.
“It’s a statement win against any top team,” Katie McCabe said when asked if this would be a ‘statement’ win for Ireland.
I think for us at the start of the campaign against France and against the Netherlands we felt like we could really get something out of both games.
That just goes to show how far this team has come. A couple of years ago we would have been in a different boat, but we are not too far off now.
We know the strength of this squad and we have got a belief that we can go and create something really special. With the help of all the Cork people tomorrow night I think we can create an amazing atmosphere and be ready to get out of the traps quickly, because the Netherlands know it’s not going to be an easy game for them either.
They’ve a lot of respect for us, as we do for them, so it will be an interesting game for sure.
The “Cork factor” will become something of Irish footballing myth if Ireland pull off a third straight win in the home of the Rebels’ GAA team on Friday night.
“Two wins from two, and I think everyone loves being down here,” Ward said of Ireland’s growing “fortress.”
“I think the people of Cork make an awful lot of noise. We heard that last year and if we can get those numbers up in the next couple of days I think it is going to be an unbelievable occasion.”
The hero of Cork visit #1 was Denise O’Sullivan, with Saoirse Noonan scoring the only goal of Ireland’s second game here against Slovenia last year. Could another Cork hero take centre stage on Friday?
“I’m blessed with a strong squad and they can all do a job. Naturally everybody likes playing in their home town, of course,” Ward said.
We’ve got Megan Connolly as well, she’s done tremendously well in this campaign, she really has, and she doesn’t get the credit she deserves.
But I think everyone wants to play down here, no matter where they’re from. Two wins down here, lots of noise and lots of energy down here, so I think no matter where these players are from they all want to play.
The noise will be audible from the English Market if Ireland pull off a result against the Dutch.
Ireland v the Netherlands takes place on Friday night at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh. The game kicks off at 7:30pm, and is live on RTÉ 2. Tickets are still available here.
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