WPD preview - Waterford
Roll up, roll up…Waterford become the 15th different entity to join the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division as we enter into its 15th season.
The Blues are an unknown as they shape their first ever squad and it will take time for them to click as a collective unit. Learning those lessons is part of this exciting journey that they are undertaking and it is a huge positive to have a club of Waterford’s history in the League.
They have made a shrewd decision in recruiting Gary Hunt as their first Head Coach. A local man with experience in the League with Wexford, he was recently in charge of Cobh Ramblers in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division and holds a UEFA Pro Licence. Put simply: he’s a good coach.
Over time, perhaps Waterford can lure of their local players back from other clubs as they establish themselves in the top flight of the women’s game. Firstly, though, they must give players from their EA SPORTS LOI Academy teams a chance to make the step up to senior football.
There have been some notable signings in Maeve Williams, Danielle Burke, Erin O’Brien, Olivia Gibson, Lauren Egbuloniu and Chloe Atkinson, who each have experience in the League.
One of the instructions that Hunt will surely be relaying to his players is to turn the RSC into a fortress that opposition teams don’t like playing in. Shelbourne will be the first visitors in Round 2, so they will have to set their stall out early to be tough to break down.
Nobody will be suggesting anything crazy for their first season in the League and that gives Waterford the chance to surprise people.
