Richy Walsh’s journey at Waterford Football Club is a testament to passion, dedication, and a relentless drive to succeed. From assisting his grandfather, the club’s long-serving kit manager, to his current role as Chief Operating Officer, Richy has experienced every facet of the club.
In this exclusive interview, Richy Walsh shares insights into the unique challenges of Irish football, the importance of inclusivity, and the unwavering commitment required to thrive in the sports industry.
Tell us about yourself, what do you do in your current role and what roles have you done previously?
My name is Richy Walsh, and I’m the Chief Operating Officer at Waterford Football Club. It’s a long love affair with the Club, I grew up around the Blues, with my grandfather serving as the kit manager, recently celebrating an incredible 60 years of service. I started as a volunteer, assisting him on match days, which evolved into a role as assistant kit manager, a position I thoroughly enjoyed. From there, I transitioned to the business side of the club, beginning as an Operations Executive, then progressing to Head of Operations, General Manager, and now, my current role as Chief Operating Officer.
Prior to this, I worked as a sales executive for the Irish distributor, Jack Sports, where I managed the New Balance and Umbro brands in the south of Ireland. This was an experience I totally enjoyed, especially working within the League of Ireland, engaging with clubs across the country and at the grassroots level. However, when the opportunity arose to work for Waterford Football Club full-time, it was an offer I simply couldn’t turn down.
What three words would you use to describe your role?
Relentless, fulfilling, unique.
“Normal” isn’t a thing in sport so what does an “average” week look like for you?
There’s definitely no such thing as normal in sports. It’s something I tell my staff on a weekly basis, and it’s just something you accept when working in the sports industry.
Slightly cliché, but no week is ever the same. Although there are aspects that are done on a weekly basis to give structure and direction for everyone to be aligned, different parts of the year present different challenges. Usually, once the season finishes in November, we enter the busy time of year. This involves maximising retail revenue from the season, as well as building for the following season, including signing players for the men’s and women’s teams and planning structures for the academy.
In-season is slightly different. The weeks are planned around home and away games, as well as the general day-to-day running of the football club. I oversee all areas of the business on the ground, covering retail, commercial, media, community, finance, and football operations.
How did you end up where you are right now? When did you know you wanted to work in sport?
As I mentioned previously, I worked as a sales executive in sports and really enjoyed the job. Unfortunately, the company went into liquidation, which caused me to reevaluate the direction I wanted my career to take.
I did have opportunities to return to that line of work, but it coincided with a really good time for the club. We were transitioning into a more professional outfit, and an opportunity arose to work full-time within the club, managing as well as an operations executive. It was an opportunity I felt doesn’t come around often in football, so I took it with both hands and haven’t looked back since.
Obviously, I’ve progressed in the role over the last two and a half years, which has now led to me becoming Chief Operating Officer, something I’m extremely proud of and gain a lot of fulfilment from.
What is your number one focus when it comes to your work?
I think there are probably two answers to this question. From a work point of view, my focus is to do the best I can for the football club and to keep raising the standards, creating an environment where we can be successful and grow as a club.
Then, personally, it’s a fantastic opportunity that I have, and I’m extremely privileged to be working with people of such high caliber, who are extremely experienced across all areas of the business. I feel every day I’m learning more and more, and it’s a fantastic experience for me.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
The bad times don’t last forever nor do the good times. It’s important to enjoy good times, learn from the bad times – experience is everything.
What are you excited about in your industry at the moment?
I think our league is unique, as we have such a good product on the pitch with such limited resources. It feels like we’re at a pivotal point in Irish football, and if we can create a sustainable football industry in this country, I’ve no doubt it will be a success. However, we have a lot of work to do. Infrastructure needs to improve, and government funding is needed to assist the great work being done in academies. If we can get those things right, it will lead to success both on and off the pitch.
If you could change one thing about your industry, what would you change?
Tough question, but I think it’s inclusivity. As a football club in the city, you have a responsibility to be inclusive and create an environment where everyone can come and be a part of the club and feel accepted. We’ve made huge strides, and hopefully, this can continue.
Sport is a hectic industry, what do you do to switch off?
It’s definitely something I struggle to do, but when I’m home, I tend to watch a lot of football outside of work and listen to a lot of podcasts. My main aim is to get back to playing this season with my local grassroots club, it’s definitely something I miss.
If you were to give a piece of advice to someone wanting to do your role, what would you say?
For me, you need to be obsessed and driven to want to succeed. Along the way, you’ll make mistakes, but if you learn from these mistakes, it will set you up for when similar situations arise. I’ve always tried to extract as much information from people with experience, and the key is to ask questions and get different opinions.
How to connect with Richy Walsh…
LinkedIn – Richy Walsh – Chief Operating Officer – Waterford FC | LinkedIn
X – @richywalsh24
Email – Richard.walsh@waterfordfc.ie
Thanks for reading our Industry Insider feature with Richy Walsh! Join over 2,400 sport professionals who receive our weekly newsletter here.
