James O’Callaghan has been announced as the new coach of the Shamrock Rovers women’s team
O’Callaghan named Rovers women’s coach
KINGSWOOD native James O’Callaghan has been announced as the new coach of the Shamrock Rovers women’s team with the club breaking the news this Wednesday.
O’Callaghan will be a familiar name to fans of the Premier Division, recognisable for his eight seasons spent as Senior manager for Peamount United winning three league titles during his time at the club before stepping down in October 2024.
He was awarded the award of Manager of the Year at the Active South Dublin Sports awards following a title winning season in 2023, the last time Peamount won the league.
O’Callaghan spoke of the new chapter in his career and his eagerness to join the club.
“I’m delighted to be here at Rovers. I’ve had a year out of management so I’m itching to get back in. I’ve always been a fan of the club. I used to sell programmes in Glenmalure Park.
“I go up to watch the men’s games as I live in Tallaght. So it is really exciting now to be managing at Shamrock Rovers.”
With Rovers having a plethora of upcoming youth in the form of Anna Butler, Ella Kelly and Keelin Comiskey to name just a few, O’Callaghan touched on the importance of finding a balance within the squad.
“I think over the last four or five years what has been developed here really well has been the schoolgirl academy. There’s lots of really exciting young players coming through.
“If you look at the Ireland under 17s and 19s international teams, they are stacked with young players from Rovers. I’m really excited to get working with them and see where they’re at in their development.”
“With the current squad, it’s vital to get that mix of senior players and young players. I think good quality experienced players, mixed in with the good young players coming through is really important.
“The managerial success I’ve had in the past has come from always having that healthy mix – they complement each other. If you can find that balance, it’s really sweet to see it in action.”
O’Callaghan was also asked what his approach to the club’s style of play on the pitch would be.
“You want to have a team on the front foot and really good in the attacking thirds. Out of possession, you want to be very compact and aggressive.
“I want them to have a strong mentality and looking to score goals. If you can get all those ingredients, it’s a winning formula. It is about getting a togetherness in the team. For me, that’s paramount.”
“My style of management is very relationship based. It is about getting to know the players and creating that environment where they are bouncing into training. You want them to come alive when they pull on the jersey and they really want to give it their best for the team.”
“It was a great experience being involved with Peamount United over those years. We had a lot of success and we also had a lot of learning curves along the way.
“What’s really important in trying to replicate that again here now at Shamrock Rovers is to try to get a winning culture. That culture is defined by the players’ values, they create that identity in the team.”
