'Ultimately it comes down to us': Amber Barrett makes no excuses for shock Ireland defeat

Barrett was only six months into life as a senior international when the elders around her shouted stop against discrimination of standards by invoking the famous 2017 strike.

On the pitch, she played a lone furrow in the scoreless draw away to European champions Netherlands and scored crucial goals in other qualifiers against Slovakia and Greece.

Her winner against Scotland to seal World Cup qualification conferred footballing immortality on the Milford maestro but from that high came the low of being a peripheral participant at the finals in Australia.

She had to battle her way back into the squad later on in 2023 and the end of last year concluded with the crushing pain of losing a Euro playoff against Wales they were favourites in.

Just as respite appeared in the form of a Nations League group Ireland were declared top seeds in, the Slovenians romped to a three-goal lead by the half hour.

“It is easy to say we got beaten 4-0 by Slovenia and this group can go straight down the gutter,” mused the striker, currently based in Belgium with Standard Liège.

"You have to move with the times. I am not sitting here thinking that we are back on the ropes. It is how we respond and we must take responsibility.” 

Barrett’s sense of perspective, devoid of excuses, is admirable considering she had earned her first start of the Carla Ward era.

Indeed, the new manager tweaked her team by redeploying Kyra Carusa, the matchwinner from a few days earlier against Turkey, to the wing.

“I’m very happy to have played but it wasn’t really a game,” she observed.

“I think when the third goal went in, shellshocked would probably be the word. It definitely wasn’t not something we expected, one of those games where everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

“Looking back at the goals, there were basics missed. Five-yard passes weren’t coming off, opponents were allowed to run off your shoulder and gaps in the middle were just huge.

“You can do a lot of tactical stuff but you still have to defend the goal because that’s the end game.” 

Ireland’s heaviest defeat for seven years, so soon after spurning a ticket to a first Euros this summer, at least ensures the serious introspection begins a year out from the World Cup qualification campaign.

Without saying it directly, Barrett intimates that dreaded plague of complacency might have  pervaded.

“As disheartening as these things are, they can be a good thing because you either are getting too comfortable in a situation or must raise standards,” she added.

“I think we must look at ourselves now. What is given to us and provided by the FAI and staff, it is miles ahead of what it was when I first came in.

“So, we can’t look outside the field and say well this wasn’t good enough or this wasn’t good enough but ultimately it comes down to us.

“We want to have this role in society that we’re getting better, but then that puts us up for criticism and we have to be able to deal with that.

“We have to be able to accept it and know ourselves that this wasn’t good enough.

“You can’t keep reflecting on Slovenia but we have to use that as the benchmark because we can’t let that happen again.” 

Neither can Barrett allow herself to be left high and dry in Belgium.

The greening of her club was reflected in a St Patrick’s Day promo featuring fellow Ireland internationals Claire O’Riordan and Aoife Colvill – along with loanee Gavin Bazunu – but the celebrations didn’t mask the uncertainty.

Controversial American investment firm 777 Partners have been trying to offload the Pro League outfit as their finances crumble.

A familiar face in the form of Sporting Director Fergal Harkin, also a Donegal native, provided updates but he’s recently departed for the same role at Bolton Wanderers.

“We had a very good relationship and when we had mixed club events, I would have probably found myself off in the corner speaking to Fergal about different things,” said the 29-year-old.

“It was good to get a perspective of things from his side as well because you read things in the paper about the state the club is in so it was refreshing to hear his side.

“I had spoken to the club last year about not putting myself in a position where we don’t get paid or wages are delayed.

“Female don’t make the same amount of money as men do, so we depend on that salary.

“There is a transition with this new owner coming in – we don’t know who yet – but we need some stability now and I hope we get it.”