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Niamh Fahey was appointed Liverpool FC Women’s first ever technical co-ordinator in August 2025, just a few short months after hanging up her playing boots at the same club she had captained since 2020.

Growing up in Galway, Ireland, Gaelic football was as much a passion for Niamh as football, and it was in both sports that Niamh found success. Four years after winning the All-Ireland Ladies Gaelic Football Championship, her professional football career took off. It was a journey that would take her from Arsenal, to Chelsea, and then Bordeaux, before a dream transfer to her beloved childhood club, Liverpool.

We talked to Niamh about her memories playing sports, how she juggled an education alongside playing, and her transition into leadership off the pitch.

 

Growing up the youngest of eight children and outnumbered by six brothers, there was no escaping sport, particularly Gaelic football (GAA), for Niamh and her sister. “We just grew up with football being the norm and part and parcel of daily life. Our brothers were very talented at football as well, so we went around watching them play for the senior men's football team. Everything seemed to revolve around Gaelic football.” Niamh recalled joyfully.

A future in team sports was potentially written in the stars for Niamh who jokingly likened her many siblings and cousins to teammates. “There was no shortage of players on the team, put it that way,” said Niamh, as she reflected on a happy childhood. “People were in and out of the house all the time; we had a very big, Irish extended family. So, you weren’t short of friends.”

The ceaseless exposure to Gaelic football in the rural west of Ireland had a positive outcome for Niamh as she went on to win the Ladies Gaelic Football Championship with her local side Galway in 2004. “GAA is very much the life and soul of the community. And then you have the parish rivalries where you can only play for your local club,” she stated fondly. The pride of place, where she came from, and the jersey she represented was a huge deal. “Those things become ingrained in you from a young age.”

It was during Niamh’s school days, where football, or soccer as she puts it, landed on her radar, more out of convenience than anything else. “My love of soccer came in school. Our school was on the main road, so if you're kicking for points, as you do in Gaelic football, chances are you're going to put someone off the road and lose your ball. Everything had to be kept on the ground.”

Just as rivalry runs deep in GAA, the same pride and passion were exuded in the football matches played at break and lunchtime at Niamh’s school. “Obviously you had your two big Premier League teams, Liverpool and Man United. So, anyone who supported Liverpool played for Liverpool at break time, and the same for United. It became its own little rivalry in school.

“Everything turned very competitive. To get the bragging rights after break was a major thing. So that's where my love of soccer came in.”

 

 

Dual threat 

In the classroom, physics and biology were topics in which Niamh excelled. This prompted her decision to study towards a science degree at the University of Galway. Her curiosity to discover the inner workings of things led her to later specialise in pharmacology. “The excitement of discovering new drugs and diseases and maybe trying to find a way to help solve those issues was my passion and way of thinking at university.”

Two years into her bachelor’s degree, Arsenal came knocking. Niamh tells the story of how it happened. “The Arsenal Women team that won the Champions League in 2007 had three Irish players on it: Emma Byrne, Ciara Grant and Yvonne Tracy. They came over to Ireland to play the Irish senior women's team, and at that time I was just breaking through. So, we played a friendly in Dublin.”

After the full-time whistle, Niamh was asked to play for Arsenal, an offer that left her overjoyed. “Obviously with the three Irish girls being there already, I was like, oh my God, absolutely buzzing,” said Niamh. “As long as I can switch my degree over, I'm there.” She subsequently moved her degree to the University of Hertfordshire so that she could continue to study while playing for Arsenal.

Niamh stated the importance of her continued education. “Studying was important for me. The game wasn't fully professional, so I always knew I had to have a plan B. We got paid, but it wasn't enough for a salary to keep you going. So, I was very much aware that this was something I needed to focus on, and it was my interest as well.”

Niamh’s view signals the importance of initiatives such as The Next Goal, a programme of career transition support for pro and semi-pro female footballers run by Women in Football in partnership with The Adecco Group and LHH. We asked Niamh to provide some advice for current players who might be hesitant to pursue an education alongside a playing career.

“I think it's all a matter of interest, really, but good time management was the key. It was quite hectic: study, train, study, train. Rinse and repeat basically, but it was a great lifestyle and I loved it.

“I think it's important that players have something, whether that's education or a different interest outside of football, because when you focus solely on your identity as a footballer, it can be quite harmful when things aren't going well.”

A fitting remark to ponder, as Niamh was soon to reach a difficult career moment. An ACL injury sustained in April 2013 sidelined her for the best part of a year, but her focus to get back on the pitch was steadfast and her education was a welcome distraction. “It kept me sane while I was missing football.”

Being able to focus her attention on her studies was a great comfort to Niamh. “As a player, you want to feel like this is going to go on forever.” The reality is that playing careers all come to an end. Preparing yourself for a new role after life on the pitch is something that often falls on young players sooner than expected. Again, highlighting the importance of programmes like The Next Goal to ensure football retains its female talent.

 

 

Mentorship and education 

The latest Women in Football member value survey shows that professional connections, mentorship and networking opportunities rank highly over all else. A show of support and friendship that Nimah welcomed during her playing days came from a key individual at Liverpool. “Susan Black was very much that figurehead for me,” shared Niamh. “She was someone who has big experience in football in general.”

As the former Director of Communications and Executive Director at Liverpool FC Women at the time, Susan shared her time and experience with Niamh, which in turn helped her build her business knowledge and skillset. “I went to her for advice and mentorship, and that's probably why I then went on to study my MBA.”

From her MBA, the important lessons Niamh learnt were “having a strategy, how to communicate that strategy, how to onboard key stakeholders and building a communications plan whilst also noting that things can change in an instant.”

Niamh described her experience studying her MBA as “an express lesson in terms of how organisations run, how they should be set up and how differences occur between different industries,” which is a skillset not too dissimilar to that which participants build through the Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme.

 

Club captain to technical co-ordinator 

Retirement greets all footballers in the end, and it’s one of the toughest decisions to make when the time comes. During an interview at the time, Niamh said it was hard to summarise the emotions she was feeling. Almost a year on from her retirement announcement, Niamh feels confident that her decision was the right one. “I’m very much at peace with it. I think I absolutely got the max out of myself.”

The transition into her current role gave her a clear focus with aspirations to plan the future development of the club. “I couldn't have been in a more privileged position. It's an exciting position to be in, and I’m lucky to be in this role to plan the next phase of the club after an amazing playing career.”

Finding the key transferable skills to support the transition from leading as captain on pitch, to shaping the long-term strategy off it, would go a long way to making the career switch more seamless. Niamh shared her personal insights. “I think I probably learned a lot about myself by just stepping away from the pitch and learning what different types of leadership look like.

“The big things are listening and then understanding not to be judgmental too soon. Just listen clearly – you don't have to be an expert in every topic. Just keep your ears open.”

Speaking more expressly about the need for flexibility and adaptability in the world of football, Niamh said: “I think how you communicate on a day-to-day basis with the people around you is so important.

“I’ve done a lot of reflecting. Where were my blind spots? What were my weaknesses? I worked to improve on those as I think that self-reflection is key.”

 

 

Next-gen leadership 

The Women in Football Leadership Programme exists to upskill women working in the football industry. The course aims to help women attain a vital blend of leadership skills and thrive in leadership positions in football.

Niamh agrees that a broad range of backgrounds within a team leads to better results. “I think diversity in any organisation is beneficial. When you have the same demographic of people, you have groupthink – a narrow lens and a narrow knowledge field. The more diversity, different backgrounds, and different life experiences that you add into an organisation, the better your decision-making becomes – the wider your view is, and less bias is involved.”

Working to build visibility at the very top positions in football, Women in Football’s Open Doors Agenda calls for a minimum of 30% women on senior decision-making bodies. Niamh respects WIF’s work in creating more female leaders in football. “There's a lot more women in football clubs now. It’s becoming the norm and that's a great thing. It’s easier than ever to see it as an aspirational goal for women who have maybe lacked that figurehead or role model to look up to in the past.”

Diverse organisations perform better – it’s a simple fact. “That's what we should try and strive for,” Niamh concluded. 

In October 2025, Liverpool continued to level up on gender equality by becoming a WIF club member, opening up more professional development opportunities for the club's female workforce in the process. The current trajectory of the club is setting a strong standard for the future of women working in the professional game.

Niamh voiced her excitement about the future of the club. “The alliances that we've made and the acknowledgement that there must be better connections between the teams is vital. Cross collaboration, shared learning and sharing of resources is something I've really noticed. To be able to share that evenly is brilliant and something that's been really needed on the women's side.”

Improved collaboration across the whole club has led to consistent performance and growth across all teams. “We have all the resources here from a training facility, from a nutrition point of view. It's that kind of real embedded stuff within the organisation now that we're starting to see.”

 

 

Reflecting on success 

After a decorated career on the pitch, and now embarking on the next important step in her career journey to strengthen the future for women in the game, we asked Niamh what her advice to her younger self would be, or another young woman considering a career in football.

“I would say mentality and work ethic is maybe more important than talent is. To have a good work ethic, and a resilience, and to develop those sides of yourself are hugely important for a career in football. I don't think you can underestimate that.”  

The need for these skills is further reinforced by the latest Women in Football workforce survey data, which found that 78% of women have experienced discrimination in the football workplace. To succeed in this industry resilience is key. Niamh adds: “You’ve got to have thick skin and surround yourself with good people.” It’s a key observation from a true footballing leader. 

Bringing our insightful chat to a close, we asked Niamh to pinpoint a moment that stands out from her playing days. Her national pride spilled out as she provided her answer. “It doesn't get much better than qualifying for the World Cup for the first time ever,” she said, speaking to the moment when the Republic of Ireland booked their place at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

“The reason I started playing football was with the dream of playing for my country, so to be able to have done that on the world's biggest stage was incredible.

“I'll never forget it, with so many Irish fans in Australia. It was honestly one of the most incredible moments in my career.”

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