Irish ace Heather Payne says training with her male counterparts “benefited” her overall improvement as a footballer

VERA PAUW has long been beating the drum on the benefits of female players training and performing alongside their male counterparts.

Along with Heather Payne, she preached to converts – although what was the norm for her growing up was no longer possible.

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It’s not because of a reluctance on his part to take the advice of his international coach, it’s simply because Florida State University doesn’t have a men’s football program.

So the usual themes of how women are treated versus men don’t really apply.

The Ballinasloe native – from the Roscommon side – said: “A lot of colleges have both, but I didn’t really know until I came to FSU that we were the only program.”

Decamping to Tallahassee, she followed in the footsteps of Megan Campbell and Megan Connolly, who both contributed to success there.

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Payne added, “We are currently ranked number one in the United States, they won the national championship in 2014 and 2018.

“We made it to the final last year and were unlucky not to win, so this year we are determined to return.”

Before that, they will have to negotiate their Atlantic Coast Conference with regionalization reducing travel, even if everything is relative.

Payne said, “You don’t really understand how great America is until you go there. We had to drive seven hours to go to a game and we were still in Florida.

“You won’t even drive seven hours in Ireland up and down.”
They are a diverse team with players from England, Portugal, Sweden, China, India, Australia and Mexico, although it is not impossible that they are in the United States.

Asked about cultural differences, she replied, “Just like the jargon and the words they use. I don’t have an American accent, but the girls are just going to rehash me anyway.

Then there is the obsession with the college you attend.

She said, “When I’m at an airport and I have my Florida State bag with me, if anyone sees it, they’ll just come over and start talking because they were a former. FSU.

“I was talking to one of the background staff, who is Scottish, and he said it’s so hit or miss.

“You will never get that in Ireland.

“If you were carrying a UCD bag through the airport, no one would come and start talking because they went to UCD.”

Payne, however, is used to having to travel as his prowess has gone beyond his locality, whether in Athlone, Galway or Dublin before a one-season stint at Bristol City.

Much of her football debut came as part of a boys’ team, which brought both benefits and challenges, especially when she was the only girl.

She said: “For most of my time playing with boys, I was the only girl, until the under 12s, then another girl joined the team.

“Sure, it’s intimidating, but when you start at a young age – I was under 10 when I started playing with boys – you know no different.

“I played with boys until I was under 14, so I mostly played on the wing, right or left, keep me away!

“This has been my position throughout the progression.

“It’s always good to play with boys, against boys, against players who are faster, stronger and who will improve your game.

“I played with boys until I could, then I had to quit when I was under 14. But I think it benefited me a lot.

He did so as she made her senior debut in Ireland at the age of 17.

The balance between university commitments and international football has not always been easy: she missed a game against Greece in the last campaign.

And the return to in-person learning has – in this case – worked against her because it means she misses classes rather than being able to attend online.

But being released was not a problem on this occasion, although the postponement of their World Cup qualification in Georgia until June underscored the fact that Covid-19 still has the potential to cause disruption.

A friendly against Australia, which is highly ranked, will rather serve as preparation for tough competitive matches against Sweden and Finland next month.
Payne said, “Being in America is very different.

“Everything opened up there and coming back here it’s almost like you come back in lockdown, although I know Ireland is opening up again.

“I thought that by entering this campaign, it would be completely gone.
“But you never know, the Georgia game has been called off.”

As part of the opening, Tuesday will be the first time the Ireland team have played in front of fans in 18 months.

Payne added: “I can’t wait to have a crowd next Tuesday, it will help us a lot.”

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