NOTE: Tony O’Neill will be meeting Calgary Wild FC players and coaching staff for the first time today (May 6) at McMahon Stadium (media invited to attend practice at 12 noon followed by interviews at 12:30/12:45ish).
CALGARY—Days prior to hosting their first-ever home game at McMahon Stadium, the Calgary Wild FC added Tony O’Neill, to its staff as head of goaltending and assistant coach.
O’Neill, who is a UEFA A licensed goalkeeping coach, will be tasked with providing support to the Calgary Wild FC’s trio of keepers: Stephanie Bukovec, Jackie Burns and Sarah Keilty-Dilling.
“I am really excited to join Calgary Wild FC and becoming part of this ambitious coaching staff alongside Lydia (Bedford) and Sinead (McSharry). It is a great staff to be a part of and I feel there is a real buzz around the Club, and the project, that we are building here in Calgary,” said O’Neill during his first day of practice with the Club. “This is a great oppoortunity to be a part of something from the ground up, to be able to contribute to a strong culture that is already in place, and work with a group that is clearly passionate about developing talent in the right way.”
O’Neill has spent a significant amount of time working in the women’s game, most recently with Birmingham City Women’s Club where he was the lead coach. O’Neill’s career started at MK Dons where he split his time with both the boys and women’s academy along with the women’s first team. After a stop with Cambridgeshire FA, he then took over goalkeeping coach responsibilities with the Watford Women for two years. O’Neill then joined East Anglian side Ipswich Town prior to heading back to the women’s game with Leicester City. After three successful seasons, he was promoted to the Barclays Women’s Super League in 2021.
“Tony brings a wealth of experience developing goalkeepers from the grassroots to elite level across women’s and men’s football. His passion for the game and working with keepers makes him a huge addition to our coaching staff,” said Lydia Bedford, head coach, Calgary Wild FC. “We look forward to having Tony join our team and are confident he will make a positive impact on the continued development of our three keepers.”
A knowledgeable and passionate goalkeeping coach with a vast range of experience, O’Neill has been working in the nets on football pitches since he was five years old playing for his school team. This sparked a 25-year journey playing between the posts throughout his development pathway.
“I really want to build a clear identity for our goalkeepers that aligns with our playing style. Having that relationship is so important (to the style of play), but we must allow our goalkeepers to grow,” added O’Neill. “They are all diffferent and I want to provide the support to each them to be confident decisions makers, good communicators and reliable in high pressure moments.”
O’Neill transitioned into the coaching ranks when he was 20 years old. An endless student of the game, he has committed his working life to learning and sharing his knowledge to develop elite-level keepers.
“I will bring my experince from different environments and levels throughout the game to develop these keepers mentally and physically,” said O’Neill. “I’m a big character and for me it is important to have fun. We must build trust and create space for the goalkeepers to grow and be able to challenge themselves as well.
“I’m really big on family. The Club is a big family and the community being an extended family. Ultimately we are all moving together to build a a Club and future for football in the country.”
O’Neill arrived in Calgary on May 5 to officially begin this mission at practice just five days before the Calgary Wild FC’s historic home opener, slated for Mother’s Day (May 11) at 5 p.m. MDT.
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About Calgary Wild FC
Calgary Wild FC is one off six teams in the newly created Northern Super League which will begin its inaugural season in 2025, featuring some of the best women’s soccer players in the world. Season tickets are now on sale www.calgarywildfc.com/game-tickets. Select your seats and Soar with Us. Be sure to shop our exclusive merch and be one of the early #fansinthewild. For the latest news and information on Calgary Wild FC, visit www.calgarywildfc.com or follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and X. Follow the league at www.nsl.ca.