Interview with John Walsh (SRFC Women's Manager)
09/02/2012 19:54
Give this a read, a very interesting interview with Shamrock Rovers Women's manager John Walsh.
• Have you always followed Rovers?
I went to my first Rovers match in the winter of 1996/97 Season with Alan Honeyman (Hoops
Overseas). The game was in Tolka Park and Rovers lost to Dundalk. I remember Robbie
Horgan was in Goal, Pat Fenlon was in midfield and it was freezing cold. I went to a couple
more games in the later stage of the same season most memorably a Leinster Senior Cup vs
St Pats in Richmond Park followed a few days later on the Sunday a League game vs Pats.
The atmosphere was brilliant on the old hill on the camac side, I can’t recall the outcome of the
game, think it was a draw but after that game, I was most definitely only ever going to follow
Rovers. I was joined by a good friend at those two games, who himself "became" a Rovers fan
after the experience. We added quite a few more over the years. Coming from Drimnagh, I
spent most of my childhood playing football in Inchicore and everyone who I played with was
St Pats so people always ask how come I didn’t follow them, it was a simple answer, they were
not Rovers, and they couldn’t match the passion and enjoyment that Rovers fans have. From
then on I've gone to Rovers game religiously. I went to games with Crumlin Hoops SC and 4
in a Row SC in the early years to away games and its a testament to the "older guys" on those
buses who are still loyal supporters of the Club today. My first European experience away
game was in Stockholm followed by the trip to Slovan Liberec and since then done many more
as they are the most enjoyable away days.
• When did you become interested in coaching?
During Euro 1998 something clicked that interested me in Coaching or tactics, I remember after
that drafting up tactics and ideas for the manager at Terenure FC while at School in Synge
Street. I completed my first FAI Coaching Course Level 1 in July 2000, just after my Leaving
cert. For the next 12 months I helped out with coaching a couple of Teams at Terenure FC
where I was playing on the Clubs Under 17s/18s Team while trying continuing to give some
input to the manager. Then on Sunday 29th July 2001 (I still have my Coaching Logbook)
I took my first training session as manager of Terenure FC Under 16s Schoolboys Team
(Their manager stood down), in the previous season I observed a few games and took some
training sessions of that team. I felt I could do a good job with them as there were some good
footballers and from that day onwards I've never stopped. I did all my Coaching at Terenure FC
from Schoolboys, Senior Men, Senior Women and Schoolgirls. I'm the Director of Development
& Coaching at Terenure FC and this season I still manage to find the time to Coach & Manage
the Clubs Under 11 Schoolgirls side.
• Apart from coaching what is your day to day job?
After I finished college (Inchicore College - Leisure Management onto UCD - Sports
Management then onto DIT - Degree Leisure Management) I worked with the Volleyball
Association of Ireland as a development officer for nearly four years promoting a junior game of
Volleyball for Primary School Children.
In July 2009 I started up my own company, Sports Line Marking Limited and that’s what
I do. Its straight forward, I mark Grass Pitches, School yards & synthetic Pitches with a
specialised piece of laser equipment so our service is unique. I also do highly durable
thermoplastic markings along with Line marking machines and products. Visit the website
www.sportslinemarking.com
A little known fact; I mark out the Tallaght Stadium Pitch for Rovers and SDCC. So if the lines
are bad, you know who to blame!
• When you heard of the WNL being set up, were you immediately interested?
In the summer of 2010, the FAI sought an expression of interest from Clubs to be part of the
Women’s National League. For us at Terenure FC, after looking at the licensing criteria and
the costs involved, we knew we would never be in a position as Club to ever be part of it. The
thought of it went out of our minds as a Club as we felt we should aim to be the top club in
Junior Football for girls/women’s after the WNL was set up. Then after a phone call out of the
blue from Shamrock Rovers (Paddy Mc'Quaid & Jonathan Roche) in early June 2011, they
asked to meet to discuss Rovers entering a team in the new WNL. Immediately following that
first phone call I wanted to help Rovers establish a new Women’s team. After that it was a rapid
process to get us where we are today but never did I think from the outset that I would end up
as manager of the team.
• How do you think that it has gone so far?
Fantastic to be honest... We have learned a lot in a short time as a management team, as a
group of players and as a Club. It was a difficult start trying to entice new players who would
have played in the top Dublin Women’s Soccer League and girls who would have played with
the various underage and senior Irish Teams. After assembling a squad, we encountered
registration rules that meant 9 players would be ineligible for the first 3 games of the season.
Since then players have come and gone but we are now a well settled unit. All of the teething
problems are gone and we look forward to the finishing out the season in a respectable
position. Our current league position is certainly not where we want to be but after picking up
our first win away to Wexford we know we will gather more points and push us up the table.
The girls are incredible in their efforts and especially over Christmas when we only gave them 5
days off. We train 3 times a week (Mon, Weds & Fri or Sat) for 2 hours at a time. We have girls
travelling from Wexford, Tullamore and Longford to train three times a week plus the match,
this goes to show the commitment and desire these girls along with the rest of the team in
order to bring success to Shamrock Rovers. A special mention the rest of the hardest working
management team I’ve ever come across, Lisa Fallon our Assistant Manager, David Bourke
our Goalkeeper Coach, Paddy Heffernan the admin come kitman come water bottles come
registrations come everything, Kevin Sheerin our Physio and Simon Somers our conditioning
Coach.
• How important is it for the progress of the league that more teams are added next season?
I believe the addition of teams should only be made if the new applicants are compliant or
reach/exceed the FAI Club licensing criteria. Prior to the start of the current League Bray
Wanderers/St Josephs pulled out of the League. It’s vital that the qualities of Clubs are right for
the League rather than focussing on quantity. The Dutch Womens Eredivisie only had 6 teams
during its first three seasons and only this year expanded to 8 teams. Since the Dutch League
started four Season ago they lost 3 teams, most notably AZ Alkmaar who won the league three
times in a row in the first three seasons. It also lost Willem II and Roda JC. This goes to show
that the best clubs need to be selected.
We would all like to see a team from Galway, Limerick, the midlands, Louth and Sligo/Donegal
but only if they reach the criteria.
• What are the long term goals for the Shamrock Rovers women's team?
Its quite simple, to be the number one Senior Women's Team in Ireland, as Irelands biggest
and best Club, we must get the Women’s team to the same heights as the Men's side. We
want to win the League next season and represent Shamrock Rovers and the country in the
Women’s Champions League. The brand of Shamrock Rovers and expectations of the Fans
automatically sets us a benchmark to reach and that’s number one.
As the Club will not be starting up Schoolgirl Teams, it’s vital that affiliated programmes with
other Clubs in the Schoolgirls League are formed in order to form a pathway for the best girls
to have the opportunity to play with Shamrock Rovers. Hopefully a development academy can
be formed where the best players from Clubs around the catchment area of Tallaght can come
and be coached to a high standard while continuing to play for their local team and in turn they
become better players and perhaps in time move on to play for Rovers.
• Do you think the WNL will be a long term success in Ireland?
Yes, without any doubt. It’s as much a trial period for the Clubs and the FAI over the next 2.5
years. Money will ultimately decide if some clubs are sustainable in the medium term, which
we all hope they will be. But it costs over €20,000 to budget for one season in this League, it
may not sound big but with small crowds and minimal local sponsorship, it’s a lot of money for
Clubs to find. With the support of the FAI, UEFA, Sponsors and Irish Sports Council, there is no
reason why the sustainability of the league should be questioned.
• I'm sure there are many ups and downs, but overall, what it is like being a manager?
As a manager at Shamrock Rovers, it’s an absolute joy. The responsibility and expectations
that go with it are challenging but really makes you want to be a better manager when you
wake up the next day. Even at 29 after 11.5 years managing, I always say, everyday is a
school day because you’re always picking up new ideas or learning from mistakes. It’s a
position I thoroughly enjoy and wouldn’t know what to be doing without it. You never know
what’s coming each day, a new player, an unhappy player, someone injured and its dealing
with all of these issues and many more that makes it so enjoyable but demanding.
The first two months in assembling the Women’s squad was an unbelievable task, the amount
of Phone calls trying to get players was astronomical.
• How do you think the men's side will do this year?
I remember when Stephen Kenny was in charge of Longford and they played on Saturday
nights, I used to go watch them play a lot and they were an exciting hard working side that
played good football. He has never changed his ways over the years. After the fantastic job he
did with Derry, I believe he will deliver a lot of success for the Club in the coming years. This
season has an automatic expectation that following the previous seasons we should be winning
the league. If the Team can build on the excellent work of Michael O’Neill then there should
be a League title waiting to be lifted come the end of the season. When it comes to Europe,
wouldn’t it be fabulous to once again reach the group stages.
• Will you always try to be involved in Shamrock Rovers in some way?
As a fan, I will always be a supporter of Shamrock Rovers and will most definitely do what I
can for the Club when called upon. There are so many good and bad moments when it’s come
to the Football and pre Tallaght legal process, but Rovers has brought me a lot of friends,
journeys, late nights, early mornings and an abundance of memories to cherish. As the song
goes, “I’m rovers till I die”!
Rovers Ramblings would like to thank John for taking time to conduct such an interview.
Also, thank you for reading,
Interviewed by Craig Flynn for Rovers Ramblings.
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