LFC WomenGilly Flaherty: I can't wait to work with Matt Beard again

The former West Ham United captain has become Liverpool FC Women’s second signing of the summer following the arrival of Finland international right-back Emma Koivisto.

Flaherty brings plenty of experience of playing in the Barclays Women’s Super League and the defender previously featured under the stewardship of Beard with the Hammers.

When the Reds came calling for her services following her departure from the London club, she admits it was a no-brainer to make the switch.

Read on as Flaherty talks about her move to Merseyside with Liverpoolfc.com…

On signing for LFC Women…

It feels great. When I left West Ham I was unsure of where I was going and then it only took one chat with Beardy and Russ [Fraser] to know how exciting it is to be here and the vision of this club as well. I’m so grateful I’ve been given the chance to join the family.

On bringing lots of experience into the squad…

I’ve been playing in the WSL for over 10 years now and there may have been people who maybe thought it was time for me to call it a day, so I’ve got a lot to prove, not just to other people, but to myself as well. It’s a big move for me.

On teaming up with Beard again…

As soon as the opportunity came to work with him again, for me there was no second thoughts about it really. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, and I feel like in regard to my career he has been one of the managers, if not the one, that’s managed to get the best out of me. He is one of the best managers that I’ve had the pleasure to work with.

I think he knows when a player needs an arm around the shoulder, and he knows as well when a player needs telling we expect better from you, [that] sort of thing. The thing with Beardy is, he is just a great people person, and a lot of players want to play for him. He’s got that respect from players. Obviously, I followed the journey last year and I watched the documentary as well, and you can just tell especially as he speaks, everyone is looking at him and listening. He’s got a lot of respect in the women’s game.

On what she can bring to the squad in 2022-23…

I’ve played in the WSL for over 10 years now and have got a lot of experience in it. I know what it takes to win, and I know what to expect really as well. Obviously, that’s why Beardy has brought me here, to bring that experience to players who haven’t had it yet, and just to be a leader as well alongside the many leaders he’s already got here. Just to help stabilise the club in the WSL as we don’t want to be a yo-yo club. Liverpool isn’t here to be relegation fighters; we are up here to stay in the league and be in it consistently. I’d like to think I’m a decent player as well. I was grateful and honoured to be captain for four years at West Ham.

For me now, I’m at the older end of the spectrum in regards to changing rooms and it’s just being myself and being who I am and taking what I’ve learned, especially at West Ham, as obviously we had a difficult season two years ago when we were fighting relegation. I’ve learned a lot being there and obviously when I was at Arsenal and Chelsea, we were always at the top end winning titles straight away. I’ve learned the other side of it when you have to fight it out to get a point, or a big three points, and that’s what I’ve learned more so over the past few years as well.

On how impressed she was seeing LFC Women from afar last season…

What I noticed was Liverpool were the team to beat. I saw the game against London City Lionesses, which finished 1-1, and saw how London City celebrated afterwards. Liverpool were the team to beat and for them to get a point you’d have thought it was a cup final. That’s how it’s got to be in the sense of Liverpool are a huge club even in the women’s game. I remember when I first started out in the WSL and Liverpool were up there.

They are a big club and it’s about having that expectation that people are not going to want to see you do well. Obviously, the rivalries and the derbies, it’s going to be tough. They were the team to beat last season and they cruised it at the end with a big points difference as well. But you wear this shirt and you wear the badge and you’ve got to expect that.