FROM CAPTAINING LIVERPOOL at Anfield and leading the team out in front of a full Kop as a life-long Reds fan, to the cusp of a World Cup with Ireland.
Niamh Fahey is living the dream.
Except most of this was never a dream, or a career-goal.
It wouldn’t have even been on her radar as a kid growing up in Galway.
“I didn’t dream of that because it wasn’t a potential career path or reality,” the Irish centurion tells reporters ahead of Ireland’s World Cup play-off showdown against Scotland at Hampden Park tomorrow [KO 8pm, live on RTÉ 2].
“I used to pretend I was Michael Owen in the back garden after school. I thought I was a striker — that shows you how unrealistic dreams are sometimes!
“I didn’t even think of it, to be honest. I never thought of any of these things. I just used to pretend who I was in the moment, whoever was scoring the most goals. I never thought, ‘One day I want to walk out on Anfield captaining Liverpool’. That just wasn’t on my radar because it wasn’t possible. Now, to have done that and for that dream to be a reality for young girls is probably one of things I’m most proud of, that now these things are dreams and realities for girls growing up.
“At the moment it’s hard to take it all in. I’m sure at the end of my career I’ll look back on all of these things and think, ‘Wow, how cool and amazing that was’.”
It was a belated dream come true, though, despite the disappointing 3-0 Merseyside derby loss to Everton two weeks ago.
Fahey describes the result as a “massive low,” perhaps compounded by their fairytale return to the Women’s Super League the previous weekend when they stunned back-to-back champions Chelsea, but still savours the monumental occasion.
She didn’t get to touch the This Is Anfield sign — “I was so flustered I forgot… maybe a sign of what was to come” — but overall, it was a hugely emotional day for her and her family, who were all present.
“It was amazing. To be honest, I was trying to concentrate on the game as well so it’s hard to take it all in because you want to try and focus on the performance and not get too emotional with it. But at the same time, looking back, it was a very proud day for me to be able to lead the team out. It was just gutting that the performance was so bad from us, really. Mixed emotions, but I’m sure as time goes by, it’ll be something that I’ll look back on with more pride.”
Another step in the right direction, a mark of how far the game has come.
34-year-old Fahey is well-placed to speak about the growth of women’s football and current landscape of the game, with a glittering career under her belt for club and country.
An All-Ireland winner with the Tribe in 2004, Fahey has also played for English heavyweights Arsenal and Chelsea, and spent a stint in France with Bordeaux, since flying the nest in 2004.
Asked where the women’s game will be in 20 years, she’s reluctant to put a finger on it.
“It’s hard to actually predict because in my time, in 10 years, the change has been so rapid. I probably wouldn’t have thought it would change so drastically in 10 years, so 20 years’ time, I don’t know where it’s going to go.
“But I know it’s only going to go in one direction and that’s up. It’s limitless, it’s exciting times. I only wish I was starting off all over again.”
Qualification for a first-ever major tournament in the 2023 World Cup would be a huge accelerator in its development and growth on these shores, she agrees.
“Big time. You saw with England winning the Euros what that’s done for the game in terms of pushing it. Success, it opens up new opportunities and brings more people into the game. It’s inspiring for the next generation. We’ve seen that with the Irish men’s team when they’ve qualified for a World Cup, what that did to the nation, inspiring a new generation. It would be a watershed moment for us if we could manage to do it.”
Her memories? 2002. Photos in the paper. Sticker books. Collecting Steve Finnan and Mattie Holland’s Panini cards.
“It sticks out in your mind for sure, the excitement of following all the games, the hype around it. It would be amazing if we could get there and replicate some of that enormity. It would be huge for the game.”
Fahey is in a reflective mood ahead of her 105th senior cap for Ireland; a full circle moment for herself, Áine O’Gorman and Louise Quinn, who were involved in the Girls In Green’s last — and only other — play-off back in 2008.
“A disaster, with the pitch,” is her abiding memory of that two-legged 4-1 defeat to Iceland, the return fixture in Reykjavik controversy-laden.
“That was one to forget. Not being able to stand on the pitch and sliding from place to place, Noel King screaming for it to be called off two minutes in but it was too late. It wouldn’t happen now. It was gutting but it’s one you learn from.
“You think this will be the norm, but clearly it wasn’t and isn’t the norm sometimes. You just have to seize the opportunity and go for it.”
That’s the case in Glasgow tomorrow, Vera Pauw’s side potentially one game away from reaching a first-ever major tournament. Fahey missed the last two games due to injury, and the experienced defender is delighted to be back in the mix after nervously watching the Slovakia clash from Liverpool, feeling helpless.
The time is now to qualify, she has said time and time again through this campaign. “It has to be now,” the defensive stalwart stressed just after the opening defeat to Sweden. “There’s no other time to do it. You can’t keep saying, ‘We’re building, we’re waiting,’ it has to be now. There’s no more time to talk, it has to be done.”
And Fahey stuck by those words ahead of their biggest game yet. She feels injury-hit Ireland are underdogs against the Scots, but must grab this chance and all that comes with it in tomorrow’s Celtic shootout.
“These opportunities don’t come around often,” she concluded, echoing previous sentiments. “The last time I had it was at the start of my career against Iceland at the Euro play-off. That was at the start and now you could say I’m at the end, I know how big of an opportunity it is.
“They don’t come around often. It’s important to have no fear, go for it and put in the best performance we can. Hopefully the result can go our way.”
