Zambra steps up as interim Head Coach at Shamrock Rovers as female coaches continue fight for visibility by Christine Allen

Credit: Mark McDermott

When Stephanie Zambra stepped across the touchline and embraced then Shamrock Rovers manager Collie O’Neill at Tallaght following her final appearance as a senior player last October, it marked a quiet but unmistakable shift in her career.

The moment may have been fleeting, but it was nonetheless symbolic as a former player turned peer.

Appointed Assistant Coach in January 2025 alongside Ciaran Ryan, Zambra now steps in as interim Head Coach of the Rovers Women

The announcement follows O’Neill and Ryan’s sudden resignations following their sides first defeat to DLR Waves across all competitions - a 1-0 loss that ultimately saw The Hoops drop to 6th in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division.

With ten league matches and at least one FAI Cup tie remaining (possibly more, should Rovers beat Shelbourne in the quarter-finals), Zambra is tasked with leading the Rovers Women into their Round 15 SSE Airtricity clash against season debutants Waterford on Tuesday evening.

Familiar path to the dugout

Rovers’ decision to install Zambra on a short-term basis mirrors a familiar pattern worn by other clubs, both international and domestic, at home and abroad. 

At Arsenal, former player and assistant coach Renée Slegers took temporary charge following Jonas Eidevall’s resignation. 

For the WNT, Eileen Gleeson initially came in as interim head coach of the Republic of Ireland after Vera Pauw’s departure. 

Following promising performances, both were subsequently appointed on a permanent basis.

Whether Zambra is given the same runway remains to be seen. But her arrival at the helm comes at a time when visibility of female head coaches (or lack thereof) both in Ireland and abroad - is under mounting scrutiny.

Leadership gap

According to The Times, 21% of high-performance coaching roles in the top two women’s leagues in England were held by women in July 2024 - down from 65% in 2020 and well short of the FA’s 75% target.

The issue is not ability, but access - and, often, resistance.

A report commissioned by Kick It Out earlier this year found that 80% of UK-based female coaches had experienced sexism in football environments. 

Of those, 70% said it had occurred on a coaching course.

“It’s devastating but I’m not shocked,” Amy Merricks, the head coach of the Women’s Championship side Birmingham City, says of the 80 per cent figure. “We naturally feel like we have to prove we’ve earned the right to be here, just because there are less of us. I was the only female on my Uefa A Licence course. I was one of three out of 34 on the Pro Licence course."

Nonetheless, female coaches acknowledge that placing all the blame on male discrimination for what have been limited opportunities would be overly simplistic.

“I’ve also had incredible male allies across my journey,” says Merricks, who was an interim WSL head coach for Brighton & Hove Albion aged only 29. “Across the Championship and professional game, there’s a really good level of respect.”

Pathways in Ireland

In contrast, the Football Association of Ireland has taken proactive measures to close the gender gap in football. This focused initiative to recruit more female coaches was actioned following research undertaken by the FAI aimed at identifying and tackling the barriers that had been preventing women from getting involved.

 "These barriers included access to courses, cost of courses, geographical location and time of courses, as well as the lack of opportunities coming from completing the courses," explains Niall O'Regan, head of FAI education and development.

"But the most significant challenge identified was the lack of role models in the game for them to see a career in football.

"We went about changing this and introduced a targeted approach to increasing the number of women's coaches at every level of the game. This was done through women's only courses at grassroots, UEFA C, UEFA B and UEFA Youth B Licence levels.

"This has seen us grow from ten women with a UEFA licence in 2016 to 330 women with UEFA licences as of December 2024."

Zambra, who attained a UEFA B Licence as part of the FAI's Coach Development pathway, is one of the first players to engage in the Player-to-Coach programme - an additional initiative launched in combination with the FAI and PFA last year to support ex-internationals make the transition into coaching.

The programme provides participants with the opportunity to work directly with the Ireland Women's Under-19s and Under-17s along with the Girls' Under-16s over the course of the 2024/25 and 2025/26 International seasons.

Speaking to UEFA, Zambra said: “I really enjoyed the experience of being in an elite environment with the best young players in Ireland. I learned a lot from James Scott and his staff. I’m already looking forward to being back with the squad in 2025 — this will help me grow as a coach.”

Yet this only scratches the surface of the former playmakers' experience in the dugout

“I’ve been coaching now for a long time.," Zambra revealed to Irish Golfer Magazine. "I went to America years ago in my early 20s coaching in camps and ever since then I have had an interest in getting involved and coaching and we set up our own coaching company about seven years ago now.

“I go into schools and I coach after school programmes and we do camps, we do small group sessions with actual players who have ambitions to go and play at a higher level and we do girls’ clinics so I’m coaching all the time.

“When I retired from playing, Collie asked me to come on board as a coach as well so I’m doing that too. It’s very busy. I don’t have any evenings free, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I love being involved. It’s better to be involved than to completely cut myself off from it, having been involved for so long.” 

Experience, pedigree, and presence

Whether Rovers have one eye on other options during Zambra’s interim period, the Puskás nominee now has a window of opportunity to demonstrate her coaching acumen.

As a former player, Zambra’s pedigree is unrivalled.

Her playing career spans stints in Ireland, the US, Italy and England. She played 58 times for the Republic of Ireland over a remarkable 15-year international career and in her final Rovers appearance, her 63rd-minute strike drew a roar from the West Stand that spoke volumes about her legacy.

Her tactical intelligence has too been evident throughout RTÉ’s Euros coverage — incisive, articulate and grounded in a deep understanding of the game. 

Now she brings that insight to players she has shared the Tallaght turf with.

So, what unique qualities can we expect Zambra to add to the Rovers Women?

A Strong Dressing-Room Connection

Stephanie Zambra’s bond with the Shamrock Rovers squad runs deep.

Having shared the rollercoaster of football’s highs and lows as the club’s former number ten, Zambra has no doubt built genuine friendships and earned respect as a mentor across her two seasons playing outfield.

That shared history has forged a unique rapport—one that underpins her transition from player to coach. While it was undoubtedly present during her time as Assistant, the opportunity for the Shankill native to be the sole voice when interacting with her players at this juncture can only further enhance this relationship.

Calm Under Pressure

Zambra knows all too well the weight of expectation that comes with wearing the green and white hoops.

The challenges of the 2024 season pushed her resilience to the limit, yet undeniably strengthened her mindset during those final months on the field—a quiet resolve to bend without breaking, ultimately closing off her career with a flourish of Zambra esque performances.

Her vast experience across her playing career as a whole equips her to guide the team through this transition period with steady composure.

Precision and Technique: The Hallmarks of Her Game

On the pitch, Zambra’s vision, movement, passing accuracy and instinct for goal stood out by a country mile. Now, at the Roadstone training ground, she’s poised perfectly to cultivate these qualities further within in her players.

A Vision for the Future

The sense around the Rovers fanbase is clear: this interim appointment feels like a stepping stone.

My take? (My hope?)

Zambra’s elevation to Assistant Coach was no accident but part of a broader strategic plan to see her at the helm one day.

Should green shoots of change emerge on the pitch, it’s likely the club will move swiftly to secure her services as Head Coach on a permanent basis.

What Zambra now requires is some of the time and patience afforded to her predecessor during this transitory period - to demonstrate beyond doubt that she is the right person to lead Shamrock Rovers Women forward.

For me, it’s already a no brainer.

Yet whatever is to be decided regarding the permanent Head Coach vacancy, and however this interim period plays out, it's clear that Steph Zambra is highly valued & trusted by Shamrock Rovers within their coaching setup as a whole.

Let's take it one game at a time 💪☘️🫡

Best of luck Steph.