Introduction
Eileen Gleeson is an Irish association football coach and former player, who was appointed as the assistant manager of the Republic of Ireland women's national football team in September 2019. She was formerly the manager of UCD Waves. She also previously managed Peamount United, who she guided to the last 32 of the 2011–12 UEFA Women's Champions League.
Playing career
As a player Gleeson played in the Civil Service League with Blacklions and in the Dublin Women's Soccer League with Ballymun United and Hammond Celtic. She characterised herself as a hard-working but limited player: "I wouldn’t be highlighting anything about my playing days."
Manager
Early coaching career
Gleeson began her coaching career with Ballymun United in the Dublin Women's Soccer League and also had a spell with St James's Gate.
Peamount United
Gleeson served as manager of Peamount United between 2006 and 2014. Under Gleeson, United became the one of the most successful women's football teams in the Republic of Ireland. With a squad that included Nicola Sinnott, Aine O'Gorman, Sara Lawlor, Katie Taylor and Louise Quinn, Gleeson guided Peamount United to a treble in 2010, winning the Dublin Women's Soccer League title, the DWSL Premier Cup and the FAI Women's Cup. Under Gleeson, Peamount also won the inaugural 2011–12 Women's National League title and the WNL Cup in both 2012 and 2013. Gleeson also managed Peamount during their 2011–12 and 2012–13 UEFA Women's Champions League campaigns. In 2013–14 when Stephanie Roche scored her FIFA Puskás Award-nominated goal for Peamount against Wexford Youths, it was Gleeson who uploaded footage of the goal on the internet. It later went viral on YouTube.
UCD Waves
The 2014–15 Women's National League season saw Gleeson become manager of UCD Waves. A number of Peamount United players including Julie-Ann Russell, Aine O'Gorman, Karen Duggan, Dora Gorman, Chloe Mustaki and Emily Cahill all subsequentlyfollowed Gleeson to UCD Waves. She quit UCD in January 2017, to focus on a PhD. She was despondent at a lack of promotion and ongoing poor standards in the Women's National League. She had obtained a UEFA Pro Licence in 2015.
Ireland
In September 2019, Vera Pauw, the incoming manager of the Republic of Ireland women's national football team, agreed to take Gleeson as her assistant.
Honours
Peamount United
- Women's National League
- Winners: 2011–12: 1
- Runners-up: 2012–13, 2013–14: 2
- FAI Women's Cup
- Winners: 2010: 1
- Runners-up: 2005, 2008: 2
- WNL Cup
- Winners: 2012, 2013: 2
- Dublin Women's Soccer League
- Winners: 2010: 1
- Runners-up: 2005, 2006: 2
- DWSL Premier Cup
- Winners: 2010: 1
UCD Waves
- Women's National League
- Runners-up: 2014–15
- FAI Women's Cup
- Runners-up: 2014: 1