Ireland women’s national team have appointed a new assistant coach, with Gary Cronin joining Carla Ward’s coaching staff at the start of 2026.
Gary Cronin joins Ireland national team
Gary Cronin is an Irish football manager and former professional player.
After calling time on his career, Cronin stepped into management where he took charge of Bray Wanderers and Longford Town FC.
The 46-year-old finally got his call to the big leagues in January earning a spot on Carla Ward’s Ireland team.
Upon his arrival to the national team, Cronin said: “I’m excited to join the Ireland Women’s National Team squad at such a crucial time, going into the FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
“It is an honour to represent my country at the highest level and to have the opportunity of working with such quality players and experienced staff.”
We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Gary Cronin as Assistant Coach with the Ireland Women’s National Team ☘️
👉 https://t.co/tSNAQI6ynP pic.twitter.com/KKeX7KAMFp
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) January 20, 2026
Ireland don’t play again until March this year, when the domestic leagues first break for internationals.
The Girls in Green kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign in just over a month with games against France and Netherlands coming up at the beginning of March.
Carla Ward welcomes new assistant
Ireland WNT Head Coach Carla Ward said: “It is brilliant to welcome Gary to the Ireland Women’s National Team ahead of our FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifiers as he will bring a new energy, fresh ideas and a proven skillset of coaching elite players.
“There were a lot of excellent candidates who we spoke with to fill the position of Assistant Coach but Gary stood out because of his attention to detail, the positive aura that he emits and his ability to get the most out of players. He is a fantastic addition to our squad.”
