The FAI have confirmed that women’s national team head coach Colin Bell has left the role.
Bell, who held the job since 2017, is set to take up a role as an assistant coach for Championship side Huddersfield Town.
Bell took charge of 22 games over his two years at the helm of the women’s team including 10 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
His side finished third in the group, finishing behind Norway and the Netherlands, who both made it to the last eight of the competition.
Paying tribute to the departing manager, FAI President Donal Conway said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Colin over the last two years and we are very disappointed to lose him.
“However, I can understand why a top club in England would want him and Colin has decided that this is the right move for him at this time.
“On behalf of the board of the FAI, I would like to thank Colin for his work with the Women’s National Team at the association.”
FAI High-Performance Director Ruud Dokter added: “Colin has done a fantastic job in his time with Ireland and I want to thank him for that.
“He has introduced new players to international football and brought our team to a new place.
“The World Cup qualifying campaign saw him bed in his ideas very quickly and the players responded with high-level performances.
“His passion, commitment and desire to develop women’s football in Ireland was exemplary and I wish him well at Huddersfield.”
Ireland’s next game is a Europen qualifier against Montenegro on September 3, and a new boss is expected to be in place before that game.
Noel Mooney, the FAI General Manager for Football Services and Partnerships, stated after Bell’s departure that:
“We will now commence the process of finding a top-class Head Coach to replace Colin ahead of the European Championship qualifying games which kick-off in the autumn.”
Bell will be working under manager Jan Siewert at Huddersfield, with the German having taken up the role last January.
Siewert hailed Bell as “a top-quality coach” in welcoming him to the Terriers.
“Not only is he a great coach, but he will also be great around the players on a day-to-day basis,” Siewert told Huddersfield’s website.
“I’m really excited to have him with us at PPG Canalside today.”