Hours after Racing Louisville FC announced Christy Holly’s appointment as its first head coach, the Irishman’s phone was still ringing.
Holly made local and national media rounds, telling his story and detailing experiences that led him to lead the National Women’s Soccer League’s 2021 expansion franchise.
Here’s a look at Holly in the news…
In an in-depth conversation with The Equalizer’s Jeff Kassouf, Holly noted that “expansion teams have traditionally struggled.” in the NWSL. But that doesn’t have to be the case in Louisville.
“This club will be successful not just because of the facilities or the stadium, but because of the people inside. That’s a big thing in terms of the type of players that we want to go after. I think it’s important to understand that we would like some profile players that will help us score goals and create opportunities and help us win games that are not going well.
“But we also want the right type of leader, the right type of people who want to do the dirty work. There’s plenty of them in this league. There are players that aren’t in this league that can come in and contribute. So, for me, I’m not going to tell you that I want a striker or a center back or a captain. I’m telling you that everybody that comes in this door has to pass the test of being outstanding citizens — people that contribute on and off the field.”
HOLLY ON WDRB IN THE MORNING
Holly also spoke with All For XI’s Stephanie Yang, who went into some differences between Holly’s resources available at his last NWSL stop, Sky Blue FC, and Racing Louisville FC.
“I was going between negotiating trade days to negotiating corporate sponsorships to putting signs up at the stadium before a game and then trying to pick a team and coach the team,” Holly said.
At Racing Louisville FC, he told Yang, “Whatever the results are on the field, you’re going to have a team that is gonna be where all the players want to be here, that want to represent the city and want to wear the colors of Louisville. And not only that, we’re a very progressive, forward-thinking organization that wants to provide fans with something they can attach themselves to. That’s important.”
HOLLY ON NEWS RADIO 840 WHAS’ TERRY MEINERS SHOW
Racing Louisville FC’s president, Brad Estes, weighed in on Holly’s hire with The Courier-Journal.
“We brought in somebody that fits the way we like to do things,” Estes told the local paper. “He’s extremely humble and has a lot knowledge about players around the world with his work on the national team. There’s not a player around the world he doesn’t know about. We’re really excited to bring that in.”
Holly also had with him in Louisville his fiance, Christie Pearce Rampone, known as “Captain America” for her role in winning World Cups and gold medals with the United States Women’s National Team.
“I get to sit up in the stands now and support from there and be more relaxed while he can stress out,” Rampone told WDRB’s Tom Lane.
Asked whether she ever sees herself on the pitch again, Rampone added, “I don’t think so. I’m past my time, but I’ve always stayed fit, so you never know. If he needs extra numbers for practice, I’ll be more than willing to jump in and help the girls.”
