Creagh: 'I can't say I have any regrets - I don't believe in them.'

After ten years playing with Raheny United / Shelbourne Ladies, former captain Rebecca Creagh has decided to end one chapter of her playing career and embark on another, one that will take her over 16,500km away as she swaps Morton Stadium for Teralba Park in Queensland.

Committing to moving abroad is always a tough choice and, with Shelbourne having captured the domestic double last season, the decision to leave a team at the top makes it all the harder.

However, after a spell on the sidelines in September having broken her foot, Creagh had time to reflect on the move and decided ‘why not?’

“It was extremely tough,” explained Creagh.

“I’ve been playing football in this country over 20 years now – it’s all I’ve known. The majority of my best friends have come from football.

“I was approached last year to go [to Australia], and couldn’t bring myself to it. It just didn’t feel like the right time.

“I always had this thing of leaving the team and maybe had a fear of missing out ha, I just didn’t want to turn my back on team mates I’ve played with for over a decade. But I had to start to think about things for myself, step out of my comfort zone.

“This move is more so for personal reasons over football. I’ve been in and out of jobs, just haven’t been content and always wanted to try something different.

“Having broken my foot in September and again more recently along with other things outside football, I’ve had time to reflect and just thought "why not?” Go see the world, enjoy some sun and play a bit of football.

“I’ll miss everything about here but I’m not getting any younger, time to take the leap, it may go well, it may not but I’ll never know till I try!”

There is a pattern to Creagh’s club switches – a move once every ten years. The midfielder began her football experience with Templeogue United, and after ten years with the Dublin 6 side, made the switch to Raheny United and the Dublin Women’s Soccer League.

After joining the Pandas, Creagh was an ever present in the Raheny side and with the introduction of the Women’s National League in 2011, the inspirational midfielder missed fewer than six league games over the first four years.

As the league enters its sixth year and seventh season, Creagh reflected on how the Women’s National League has evolved since the early days.

“I’ve been here since the beginning and the difference is crazy. Teams have left, like Castlebar Celtic. Others have joined, like Kilkenny, and obviously Raheny United merged with Shelbourne, so in terms of clubs a lot has changed.

“As far as the set up [goes], it has come on leaps and bounds. There is more money being put in, the FAI Cup Final being a televised fixture annually is fantastic and a lot more media have got involved. I still don’t think we are anywhere we need to be. More advertising needs to be done to get more bums on seats, because the talent in this country is frightening.

“You only have to look at Denis O Sullivan, Katie McCabe, Clare Shine, Louise Quinn, Steph Roche to name but a few to see what this league has produced and the opportunities that arise from it, and I know there are a lot more players in the near future who will be following suit.

“The clubs are way more professionally set up now. I can only go off my own club: we train three days a week, do our own gym sessions, eat right and anything we need is supplied by the club, physios, etc.

“So things like that have helped and if we stay on the right track with these kind of things, with more input from the FAI, this league will continue to grow.”

Since the opening season, the WNL has taken place over the winter months and has led to fixture cancellations and disruption due to weather and unplayable pitches. Creagh believes the change to a summer season can only benefit the league.

“Yeah the change will definitely have a positive effect. I think the old format of Aug-May caused so many stoppages due to bad weather around November, December and January.

“This meant the league nearly went on all year round at one stage! So it can only be positive move.”

With two decades of football under her belt, there have been many highlights in a career that has seen league wins, FAI Cup victories and Champions League football.

“Wow where do I start?! I’ve had so many [highlights]. I could say lifting trophies as captain in the Aviva or playing in the Champions League, but for me being captain over the years and just being part of so many great squads at Raheny and Shels is an all-round highlight.

“My team mates and I went through so many lows that made the highs all that bit more special. So just leading the girls over the years, being able to call them my team mates has been brilliant. I hope I made as much an impact on them as they all did on me.

“I can’t say I have any regrets, I don’t believe in them. But a worst moment is anytime we lost, the worst being losing at the Aviva in 2015 and losing the league, but that’s behind us now and this Shels squad are going to get better and better.”

Having played with so many talented players over the years, of all the players Creagh played with over the years in the WNL and before in the DWSL and with Templelogue United, who was, pound-for-pound, the best?

“That’s a very tough question! Pearl [Slattery] and I started playing ball together at Templeogue and our beliefs and attitudes to the game are pretty much the same.

“I have had the privilege to share a field with some amazing players over the years including Olivia O’Toole and Mary Waldron who made huge impacts on me.

“I’ve seen Siobhan Killeen grow from a reserved teenager to one of the country’s best and most recently the rising star that is Leanne Kiernan.

“But if I had to pick one player who has been consistent, who I’ve known a long long time and even when she wasn’t at her own best she was streets ahead of the rest, it would have to be my good friend Noelle Murray. She will crucify me for that!

“She’s probably one of the most modest people, who hates a fuss, and I don’t think she has got enough recognition over the years for how amazing she is. She terrorises teams, in all aspects of the word!

“Can I also just take the opportunity to thank everyone at Shelbourne Ladies, the management and staff for their continued belief in me and for everything they do.

“I also would like to wish my team mates the very best of luck in the season ahead. I’ve no doubt it’s going to be a great one!”

And who will win the Women’s National League in 2017?

“Shelbourne will clean up,” declared their departing former captain.