'They better look somewhere else because Podge isn’t available' - Jon Daly warns clubs off Amond

"You're wasting a story on something that's not going to happen," added the Waterford manager.

STANDING FIRMWaterford manager Jon Daly has again insisted that striker Pádraig Amond is not for sale. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Logan

Waterford manager Jon Daly has again insisted that striker Pádraig Amond is not for sale.

The 37-year-old was the Premier Divison’s top scorer in 2025 with 14 goals, despite the Blues’ struggles which saw them narrowly avoid relegation to the First Division after defeating Bray Wanderers in the playoff.

His goalscoring exploits had seen him attract interest from a number of clubs, in particular Shelbourne, leading to Daly declaring the under contract forward will remain at the club at his official unveiling back in November.

And speaking to the Irish Examiner following Waterford’s pre-season friendly loss to Cork City on Wednesday, Daly again warned clubs off attempting to sign the forward, who played the last 30 minutes in Lakewood.

“They’d better be looking somewhere else because Podge isn’t available,” said the Blues boss, who also added a new signing is likely to be announced in due course.

“We can talk about that, but I think it's just you're wasting a story on something that's not going to happen.

“He’s a Waterford player. I don't understand why everybody thinks he's going anywhere else.

“He's a Waterford player. He's happy here. He's a big part of what we're trying to do.

“Good players obviously get connected with other teams. That's what happens in football.

“Podge is obviously happy. We're working away with him. He's obviously a big part of what we're trying to do so we've no plans to move him on.

Padraig Amond on for the last half an hour for Waterford pic.twitter.com/DgOlSOVUsx

— Andrew Horgan (@AndrewHorgan) January 14, 2026

“Podge is looking sharp, he's looking fit. We've got a couple of games next week, so we'll manage minutes that way as well. It was more just to have a look at Conor and Tommy together and that strike partnership.

“We know Podge is extremely fit and what he can do, so it was more to give the other lads some minutes.

“You guys will read into these things, but it was nothing to do with anything other than just looking at the two boys.

“We've lost a lot (of players during the off-season) so we've had to replace them.

“We're still probably short a couple of bodies, so we'll continue to work on that and see who we can get in and see who's available and who wants to come.

“We're probably still, as I said, a couple of bodies short of where we probably need to be.

“I think we've got one contract offer out that we're hopeful will get done and a few kind of bubbling away, but nothing else really. One probably close.”