Michael McArdle has placed close observation of the domestic game and emerging international pathway at the centre of his first three months as Northern Ireland senior women's manager.
Since beginning the role in April, McArdle has overseen two senior international camps and spent time at matches across Northern Ireland. His schedule has included Women's Premiership football, the Women's Challenge Cup final and the UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship staged in the country during May.
The senior team opened his tenure with two World Cup qualifying victories over Malta. June then brought more demanding matches against Turkiye and Switzerland, with Northern Ireland narrowly beaten in both fixtures while continuing to develop the playing approach introduced by the new manager.
Those camps have allowed McArdle to assess established internationals alongside players moving into the senior group. Ten Women's Premiership footballers were selected in the June squad, underlining the importance of regular contact with clubs and first-hand viewing of the domestic competition.
Attention now turns towards the autumn play-off against Portugal. The two-legged tie in October will carry a place in League A, while also providing a measure of the progress made during the manager's opening months against opponents with substantial recent tournament experience.
McArdle's early programme has therefore combined immediate qualification work with a broader assessment of the player pathway. The senior results, domestic visits and under-17 tournament have supplied the first body of information from which the next Northern Ireland squad will be shaped.