“It is a credit to the staff that we have at this club, that they are really harnessing a culture of positive and competitive development,” Galway WFC youth development manager Phil Trill says.
Striking the balance between winning football matches and improving talent remains a delicate balancing act. Trill, though, stresses the need to compete for silverware, precisely what Galway WFC U19s will be doing against DLR Waves in Sunday’s cup final at Eamonn Deacy Park.
“The closer these girls get to the first team it has to become about winning also,” Trill says. “Once they reach this capacity at U19s level at this stage of the season you do want to achieve the results that you have set out to do.
“It is something I have learned, something I have developed over the last year or so is giving more girls game time at younger ages, constantly giving them confidence and the ability to want to perform is a massive thing with the girls.
“The closer we get to the senior team we are putting a bit more pressure on the girls, it comes naturally anyway. Nobody goes out to lose, but we do harness that a bit more.
“We do hope when they reach the first team that they will have the capacity and mindset that they are constantly evolving, but it is competitive development.”
Trill is always eager to promote talent with a significant portion of Galway WFC U17 and U19 squads eligible for the respective grades again in 2022.
“If they are good enough, they are old enough, that has always been something I really, really believe in,” he responds. “Your age shouldn't matter too much. Look at Wexford this year, Aoibheann Costello scored a match deciding goal when she was still 16 years of age.
“The players and talent pool are in Galway, a tremendous amount of work is being done by the Galway FA clubs and the surrounding leagues too. You have girls from Ennis, Mayo, you even have girls from Limerick too, the work is being done.”
Ultimately, the future is bright according to Trill, who remains adamant that Galway WFC can prosper.
“I believe this crop of girls have competed at national level at every age group, even at club level the majority of them competed for national cups and won national cups,” he says.
“So once they came into the Women's National League they have followed the same suit. I believe the next stage now for this crop of players is to compete at national league level and with the catchment we have and the structures we have put in place in our youth set-up will allow the club to be a sustainable player development area within the west of Ireland where we can have a strong club that can win trophies at senior level over the next couple of years and go further afield.
“Looking at our catchment area and the talent we have in this area there is no reason why we cannot play in Europe.”
**Listen to the full interview with Galway WFC youth development manager Phil Trill on this week's 'Cian on Sport' podcast available on Soundcloud, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
