Former Ireland international Jonathan Walters is poised to take up a role overseeing football operations at First Division outfit, Waterford.
Walters, who won 54 caps and scored 14 goals for the Boys in Green, took up a coaching role at former club Stoke City after retiring through injury in March 2019 and was pitched in to succeed Gordon Taylor as chief executive of the Players union in England . He has also been working on the coaching staff with Ireland’s U19s.
The Blues were purchased by Fleetwood Town owner Andy Pilley in August but missed out on promotion by losing the playoff final to UCD and were beaten by Shelbourne in the FAI Cup semi-final.
Pilley is committed to the Blues cause long-term and they’ve delivered a budget to retain most of last season’s squad, bar Player of the Year Phoenix Patterson who last week completed his transfer to Fleetwood.
Their latest boost came on Thursday with news of another in-demand attacker, Junior Quitirna, sticking around for their promotion push which begins on February 17 at local rivals Wexford.
It is understood manager Danny Searle remains in the market for attacking reinforcements with Leigh Griffiths, currently without a club but training under his former Celtic teammate Scott Brown at Fleetwood, a possibility.
More likely, however, is a move for Pádraig Amond, the Carlow native with a proven track record at the lower league level in England. The 34-year-old is currently with National League outfit Woking.
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