Carusa urges Girls in Green to 'stay in these rooms'

California-born Kyra Carusa is blessed with a sunny disposition that rarely dims, but the Republic of Ireland striker also has a pragmatic streak that's helped her carve out a career at the top level.

Carusa knew her time was up at hometown club San Diego Wave when her minutes nosedived under boss Jonas Eidevall and high-profile arrivals nudged her down the pecking order.

A winter of change was necessary. Carusa parted company with San Diego in December, agreed a deal to rejoin one of her former clubs HB Koge in January, and then went to Kansas City on loan for the rest of the NWSL season, which starts in March. She'll link up with Danish side Koge (who have the same owners as Kansas) in August/September.

Carusa is back on Irish soil to prep for next week's big World Cup qualifier double-header against France and the Netherlands as the Girls in Green return to the top table of international football. True to form, she spoke with passion and verve when assessing Ireland's chances.

"You need quality in front of goal," said Carusa, who often ploughed a lone furrow up top the last time Ireland were in League A alongside England, Sweden and the French for Euros qualification a couple of years ago.

"Creating the opportunity is one thing but finishing is a whole other thing. There's a massive separation from League A teams and the rest of the world.

"I'd say that the key message is quite similar to what we worked on for Belgium: clarity and roles."

"Growth and success is never linear. Over those two years, you can see growth. It isn't linear from campaign to campaign.

"We’re wiser. We’ve been in these rooms a bit more and we know what it takes to stay in the rooms.

"There are opportunities and instances you wish you could take back from the last campaign that we have the opportunity to do now. We’re not going to squander that opportunity."

Carusa, who was terrific in last October's Nations League promotion/relegation play-off defeat of Belgium, elaborated on some regrets from the Euros qualifiers.

"I think the back-to-back games we had against Sweden (Ireland lost 3-0 at Aviva Stadium and 1-0 in Sockholm).

"The way in which we came out against Sweden in the first game was different from the first two games we had in the campaign against France and England. We came out with a different formation.

"We came out in a different way and were quite good and quite literally on Sweden so quickly. To then go away and to lose that game on a set piece very late again, both those games, I think back to those and think, 'wow, what opportunities' as a wiser, more settled team, knowing that we can take on those changes and be able to come out with points in those games.

"I do think about those games specifically in that campaign, I think those are game-changing moments that can make or break where you are and where the team lands in the league."

Ireland will definitely target the two games against Poland in April as their prime opportunities to get points on the board. Indeed boss Carla Ward has openly said they're aiming for third place in the four-team group, which would keep them in League A for the next Nations League and improve their seeding for the World Cup play-offs.

It's a realistic ambition, but there's a genuine belief in the Ireland camp they can upset the group's two big guns, with Ward opting to face the French in Tallaght rather than the Aviva in the search for a precious edge.

"I'd say that the key message is quite similar to what we worked on for Belgium: clarity and roles," added Carusa.

"It really develops over a campaign and over games, that trust and understanding. What I know in and out of this team is what the person next to me knows and what the person coming on the pitch knows. An example of that is Abbie Larkin, going from the first game against Belgium, having not stepped on the field in the Aviva to going on to being the game-changing player in the game, scoring the goal in the second leg.

"I mean that is just a full example of players being absolutely clear - and regardless of whether they start or come off the bench, or where they are, a role and understanding of what needs to be accomplished in that and being able to execute even in that kind of position.

"I think that's been our heavy emphasis so far."

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