Daly appointed new Waterford FC boss ahead of 2026 season

Unfortunately, illness didn’t allow me to make the trip to Tolka Park for the dramatic promotion/relegation playoff win over Bray Wanderers, but the final whistle has barely sounded when attentions turned to who would be appointed as new manager.

It must be said that the Blues realistically shouldn’t have ever put themselves in the position where they could’ve been relegated to the First Division as they held a 14-point advantage over Sligo Rovers at one point in the season and only for the appointment of Matt Lawlor, it was curtains.

Twice the same group of players suffered winless runs under Keith Long and John Coleman, but they answered the call when it mattered most against Bray thanks to goals from Conan Noonan and Sam Glenfield.

Blues chairman Jamie Pilley took to WLR after the game to talk positively about the future and after much talk that John Russell could be persuaded from the Showgrounds to the RSC, the club have opted to appoint former Dundalk and St. Patrick’s Athletic manager Jon Daly to the post.

The 42-year-old has a wealth of League of Ireland experience after winning the FAI Cup with the saints back in 2023 after he replaced Tim Clancy at Inchicore before making the move to Oriel Park the following season until his departure at the end of the season.

Following a spell out of management, Daly made the move to Eamon Deacy Park to become Galway United assistant manager helping John Caulfield’s side to an eighth placed finish where a draw against the Blues on the final day of the season ensured his side’s Premier status for 2026.

Daly now takes the reigns of the Blues as preparations begin for the 2026 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division following the Blues safely securing their status in the top-flight for 2026 after defeating Bray Wanderers 2-1 in last week’s Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Final in Dublin.

With Pilley ensuring that recruitment process will be the forefront of the priority list for the season ahead, Daly is looking forward to the challenge that lies ahead where he’ll be hoping to hold onto skipper Padraig Amond, who has been linked with a move to Shelbourne.

A GREAT HONOUR Speaking on agreeing terms for the season ahead, Daly said: “tt’s an honour to take charge of Waterford FC. Waterford is a club with huge potential, and my job is simple — unlock it. I believe that’s done by setting high standards every single day.

“The people of Waterford expect fight, pride, and passion. If we can match the energy in the stands and transfer it onto the pitch, this club can go places it hasn’t been in a long time. There’s a big challenge ahead to build a team that works for each other, plays with intensity and never hides.

“The challenge really excites me and I’m looking forward to getting immersed in the Waterford community and meeting all the players, staff and supporters.” Commenting on the appointment of Daly, Jamie Pilley said: ““I’m delighted to welcome Jon to Waterford FC after a thorough and detailed managerial search over the last few weeks. During the process we spoke to a number of people regarding the role, as we move into a fresh start for the club, and Jon was a stand-out candidate.

“Jon is a vastly experienced person who knows the League of Ireland and what it takes to be successful in it - this was a huge part of the attraction for us and something we were determined to have with this appointment.

He now has the off season to recruit and prepare for what we hope will be an exciting season at the RSC.” DETAILED REVIEW Speaking on recruitment, Pilley added: “After conducting a detailed review, it is clear the issues on the pitch stemmed largely from recruitment decisions which did not deliver the right balance for the squad – mistakes were made across the board. We accept that, and we are already working to put those mistakes right.

“There were successes and, despite external criticism at times, the link with Fleetwood Town offered a positive once again. We were delighted to see the likes of Stevie McMullan, Sam Glenfield, Kyle White and Tommy Lonergan successfully make moves over to Waterford. We are also seeing huge rewards with the young Blues Academy players who have spent time with Fleetwood’s U21 squad – with Ronan Mansfield returning to be part of our first team while Zak O’Sullivan and Callum Costello are growing all the time over at Poolfoot Farm.

“We once again plan to utilise this link during the coming season, but would like to stress the importance of us finding a balance of young exciting players and those with the vital LOI know how to help us achieve our goals”