22-04-2025
Richie Towell: I don't think Waterford letting Keith Long go is the best decision
Richie Towell believes Waterford may not have made the "best decision" in parting ways with manager Keith Long this early into the season.
After a good start to the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division campaign, the Blues have been on a dismal run in recent weeks with the 2-1 defeat at Cork City on Monday marking a seventh defeat in succession.
Long's tenure had already come to an end before that game, with Friday's chastening 4-0 defeat to a struggling Sligo Rovers side his final match in charge at the RSC.
Waterford's subsequent decision to bring an end to his management of the first team brought the curtain down on a spell that had seen the former Bohemians boss lead the club to promotion via the play-offs in 2023 and then keep them up comfortably in the top flight last season.
And while recent results left something to be desired, former Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers midfielder Towell told the RTÉ Soccer Podcast that the decision to part ways could end up proving hasty.
"I don't think that that was the best decision from Waterford to let a manager like Keith Long go," he said.
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"Keith Long knows the league really well, he knows the players at Waterford really well. He's been there and done it with numerous different teams in the league.
"Listen, they're in a really difficult place but if there is a manager that can probably get you out of that position, I would have thought it would've been him.
"Sometimes owners and people like that think just by changing it, that everything is going to change but it's still the same players going out onto the pitch week in, week out, so sometimes the change needs to happen within the players, have a look at themselves.
"They're conceding nearly two goals every single game on average. They're never, ever going to win a game if that's what they keep doing.
"There's no way they can be banking on going out to score three goals in a game to win. It's impossible.
"They're in a really, really bad spot at the moment, they obviously have a new manager coming in. Sometimes you'd like to think it can give them a little boost of energy at the start - it didn't really happen against Cork, they got hit with two sucker punches at the end, it was really unfortunate."
Also speaking on the podcast, ex-Drogheda United and Shamrock Rovers defender Graham Gartland added that Long had a tricky job this season at a Waterford side that is part of a multi-club ownership model that also includes English side Fleetwood Town.
"I've a lot of sympathy for Keith Long because he did unbelievably well to get them up. They had been trying to get up for a long time," he said.
"He then kept them up in a brilliant season that they were in contention for Europe for. But then whatever happened with their recruitment over the summer, his hands were tied with the squad he had.
"And they are where they are but like Richie said, what manager is going to go in and go, 'Well, I can turn this around' and what's success for Waterford? Staying in the division again?
"But if you keep taking their best players away, it's hard to build on that. And for any manager going in, I know there are rumours that they might be looking at Ruadhri Higgins, but what's the remit going in?
"And the question I'd ask if I was interviewed by them: 'What happens to our better players when they perform?'
"(Barry) Baggley ended up going to Pat's, the other lad went back on loan to Arsenal, the connection with Fleetwood... what happens to our better players? Who has a say on whether we get to keep them or not? They'd be the questions I'd ask."
