The FAI have announced that Colin Bell will take over as Head Coach of the Republic of Ireland Women's International Senior Team.
Bell will begin the new role next week and fills the vacancy left by Sue Ronan who stepped down after six years. The English native, who has been in Germany since 1982, is due to depart SC Sand in the Women's Bundesliga shortly, and is excited to get started.
In 2015, Bell guided FFC Frankfurt to glory in the UEFA Women's Champions League - having previously won the German Women's Cup and brought the club back into the Champions League, as well as spending time at Bad Neuenahr - before moving on to Avaldsnes IL in Norway and back to Germany with SC Sand.
Currently 34th in the FIFA Women's World Rankings, the Ireland Women's Senior Team has yet to qualify for a major tournament and that challenge is something that attracted Bell to the job.
"I will do my very best to help women's football in Ireland continue to grow and to make it more attractive to young girls, who can have the dream of playing football at a high level," Bell said.
"It is a dream come true to be given the opportunity to become a national team coach and it is something during my 27 years coaching that I always wanted to be. Now, I'm looking forward to getting started."
FAI High Performance Director, Ruud Dokter said he was excited about Bell's appointment.
"Colin brings a wealth of experience, having managed in the German Women's Bundesliga and won the UEFA Women's Champions League. It is important to note that Colin was chosen ahead of a number of excellent candidates, which shows how attractive the position was. Developing women's football is a key priority for the FAI and this appointment shows our commitment to that."
The Women's Senior Team will next be in action at the end of February when they take part in the Cyprus Cup - drawn into Group B alongside Czech Republic, Hungary and Wales. The team will be back on home soil for a friendly match against Slovakia on Monday, April 10th in Tallaght Stadium.
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