By Gerard Mulreaney (@gerardmulreaney)
Following a hugely successful spell at at Wexford Youths, where she won three Continental Tyres Women’s National League titles, 24 year-old defender Jessica Gleeson decided she needed a fresh challenge and joined Shelbourne for the 2018 season.
Gleeson says it was an opportunity too good to turn down, “If I’m being honest I loved every minute of my time at Wexford over the past 7 seasons, with so many amazing memories that I will hold onto forever. But it just came to the time where I guess I needed a change and a new challenge and when Shelbourne came calling I was totally shocked and surprised. I just felt it was too big an opportunity to let pass me by, and I’m really looking forward to the new challenges I’m going to face here.”
Jessica also had a very special message to everyone involved with her former club, “I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who I worked with at Wexford from all the staff, management, supporters and specially my team mates.”
With the new National League season just days away clubs are finishing off with their pre-season preparations and it’s no different with Jessica and her team-mates, “Pre-season has gone really well so far for everyone. We’re all working really hard and focused on getting to the best condition we can for the first game of the season, and to try and hit the ground running. From a personal point of view I’m really enjoying pre-season, getting to know my new team-mates and getting myself as set as I can for the first game of the season.”
Shelbourne kick-off the new season with a game against Gleeson’s former team, a quirk of the fixture list no doubt, but she says it’s a game to relish, “Yeah I can’t wait for the season to start now, to get back into things and having games to look forward to every week is going to be great. I guess I’m looking forward to the first game that little bit more myself because it is against Wexford in Wexford, so it will be interesting to get back to familiar surroundings playing for the opposite team. Its gonna make it that bit more of a special occasion for me I guess.”
Having won the title last season with Wexford Jessica (pictured) has given up the chance to take part in another UEFA Champions League campaign, having featured in the competition twice before, something she said was tough, “Yeah that definitely played a lot on my mind when I was waying up my decision, but I feel that I will get the chance to hopefully get to the Champions League with Shelbourne as they are at the top of the women’s game in Ireland and feel hopefully we can get there at the end of this season all going well. However it wont be an easy task as the league and the teams in the league are improving year in year out. Again, I would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone at Wexford all the very best in the Champions League campaign in August, no doubt they will go smash it a third-time round.”
Moving forward now at Shelbourne and 3-time National League winner brings with her huge experience to her new club, so what are the aims for the season, “Of course the ultimate goal would be to win the league title and get back to champions League football. But the aim would be to go out and try and win as many trophies as we can as with all the clubs in the league. But we will just take it a game at a time and try to build every week toward the rewards at the end of the season.”
“I guess from a personal point of view it would be to try and prove myself at Shelbourne and if I get my chance in the starting 11, or to come into the pitch at some point, to work hard and try to keep my place in the team once I get my opportunity. As I said previously main aim for the team is to do our very best to win as many trophies as we can and maintain our performances throughout the season.”
This season sees 8 teams taking part in the league, something Jessica feels is great, “Ah yeah its great to see new teams coming into the league, it just adds to the competition. It also means that all teams will have games week in week out because there will be an even number of teams and one team won’t have every next weekend off due to having no fixture. Also it’s great that more girls are getting the opportunity to play at the top level of soccer in Ireland.”
Settling into an new team can be difficult but Jessica says that knowing many of the players already at the club gas helped enormously, “I would know most of them, from playing with them at international level and from just playing against them throughout the years. Knowing many of them has definitely made it easier to settle in to the club.
“I feel I have settled in really well. Right from the start the girls, management and staff have made me feel so welcome and I can’t thank them all enough for that, it has made the move a lot easier for me. I am really enjoying it so far and I am super excited for what lies ahead over the next couple of months.”
The defender also has ambitions of returning to the International set-up having been part of the squad previously. National team manager Colin Bell is prepared to give everyone a chance to impress, but Gleeson knows success at club level first can lead to a return,
“Yeah it would be great to get an opportunity to get back in the squad, but I’m just going to focus mainly on enjoying my football with Shelbourne and hopefully in some time in the future I might get my chance.”
What does she think can be done to help promote the Women’s game more, “Just by have more consistency on social media platforms. Maybe trying to do some live streaming of selected games throughout the season where possible. Also more local promotion of the teams, and games, by the clubs in their local areas to try and get more people out to games. That will generate interest in the women’s game, plus clubs generating through schools, under-age clubs etc.”
Shelbourne open their 2018 National League season with a trip to Ferrycarrig Park on Sunday to face current champions Wexford Youths, with a kick-off time of 2pm.
Pictures: RTÉ.ie
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