Ed Joyce to relinquish his post as Ireland Women’s head coach after holding on to the post for six years since 2019.
Ed Joyce will step down as Ireland Women’s head coach following the World Cup Qualifier in Pakistan in April.
Regardless of whether Ireland earns a spot in the Women’s 50-over World Cup for the first time since 2005, Joyce, who has been in the position for over six years, decided not to renew his contract.
After serving as interim head coach for three months following Aaron Hamilton’s departure, Joyce, who played for both England and Ireland, was hired on a permanent basis in September 2019. Under Joyce’s leadership, Ireland has experienced some noteworthy victories, like as victories in T20I series in Bangladesh and Pakistan and a 2-1 victory over Sri Lanka in ODIs last summer.
After that series victory, they defeated England in an ODI for the first time since 2001 and then won their first T20I match to tie the series 1-1.
Covid-19 disrupted Joyce’s tenure as manager, preventing Ireland from playing competitively for 20 months and preventing his team from earning a spot in the 2022 50-over World Cup. Despite qualifying for the 2023 T20 World Cup, they were defeated by Scotland in the qualification, so they were not able to attend the tournament last year.
“It has been a privilege to lead Cricket Ireland’s women’s performance programme and to work with this group of dedicated cricketers and support staff,” Joyce said. “The last six years have been an incredible journey – not just for me personally, but for the players, coaches and, indeed, the entire performance programme.
“When I came on board we had just announced first-ever part-time contracts for women cricketers in Ireland. Those six part-time contracts have grown over subsequent years to now 23 players under some form of contract – a number of these being full-time. This process of professionalisation alone has been rewarding yet challenging. Throw the Covid pandemic into the mix, the constant need to juggle the availability of players who are still studying – all while meeting the demands of international cricket – the role has been all-encompassing.
“Just as in my professional playing career, I recognise the natural cycle of coaching. There comes a time when a system benefits from fresh perspectives and new voices, allowing players to explore and develop their skills in diverse ways.”