Waterford push boat out with pre-season trip to Dubai

The Jebel Ali Resort and Sports Complex is regularly used by Premier League sides

9 September 2022; Waterford owner Andy Pilley before the SSE Airtricity League First Division match between Waterford and Cork City at RSC in Waterford. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile

First Division hopefuls Waterford are sparing no expense on building for their promotion bid by arranging a pre-season trip to Dubai.

The Blues were last August taken over by Andy Pilley, who also owns English League One outfit Fleetwood Town and clubs in UAE and Africa. He’s set Danny Searle the target of getting them back into the Premier Division, be it by topping the table or through the arduous playoffs.

They came agonisingly close to an immediate top-flight return in November, navigating four games of the playoff series only to fall 1-0 against UCD in the decider.

Searle will take his squad to the far-east between January 22-28, ahead of their season kicking off away to south-east rivals Wexford FC Friday, February 17.

While LOI Premier clubs have been used to basing themselves in the likes of Portugal and Spain for pre-season camps, Waterford are pushing the boat out.

According to the club statement, the club’s UK-based hierarchy “want to prepare Waterford in the best ways possible - all starting with a trip to the stunning skyrise city in the United Arab Emirates.” 

Waterford will play two games, one against their sister club, Fleetwood United, currently top of their league, on Friday January 27 at the Jebel Ali Resort and Sports Complex (kick-off TBC).

The Jebel Ali Resort and Sports Complex, which will be the base for the week-long tour in the UAE, is a one-of-a-kind development that is regularly used by Premier League sides during their winter breaks and is known as one of the best training complexes in the UAE.

Andy Pilley, Waterford FC Chairman, said: “I am thrilled to confirm that Waterford will be making the trip over to Dubai this January.

“We’ve invested heavily in the squad and facilities at the club ahead of the upcoming season as we want to give everyone the best chance of getting that promotion to the top division in Ireland, we are all aspiring for.

“We have organised a game against one of our sides out there in Fleetwood United, who have seen only success since becoming a founding member of the UAE FA Third Division League, which they were promoted out of at the first time of asking – all the best whilst out in the United Arab Emirates.”