There was a cheer when Fran Alonso, the head coach of Celtic’s women’s team, told a sizeable audience in the club’s Number 7 restaurant last night of his wish to get the Parkhead side competing in the Champions League within the next two years. The bigger challenge, however, might be in quieting down the club’s domestic rivals.
Glasgow City are the immediate obstacle for Alonso to dislodge. The dominant force in the country courtesy of 13 successive league titles – “it feels like they have been winning for 100 years” quipped the Spaniard – the move towards professionalism this winter has underlined Celtic’s quest to topple that dynasty.
If the manner in which Celtic trumpeted the kick-off of the Scottish Building Society Women’s Premier League this weekend with a meet and greet session that came with no little fanfare suggested a gravitas towards their women’s squad, the same has been evident in the players they have brought in tp bolster and enhance the squad.
The latest recruit will be available for Friday night’s opening game against Glasgow City a K-Park in East Kilbride. Anita Marcos was secured in a move from Atletico Madrid yesterday afternoon with the signing of the 19-year-old Spaniard seen as quite a coup from Alonso.
“Anita has twice won the European Under-19 Championships with Spain, she has competed in the Champions League and she has won the women’s La Liga,” said Alonso. “She is a young player but with amazing experience and she is going to help us massively.”
And Alonso has insisted that Celtic’s preparations so far have focused on the psychologically behind what it will take to usurp Glasgow City from their position of domestic dominance.
“The most important aspect of the game is the psychology. They are a winning team
because they know what to do when it is not going right;
they will still have composure and belief because they are used to winning. You haven’t won the league so you don’t have that.
“So much of our work this week has been around that aspect – instilling a belief in the squad where we believe in ourselves and the team and we believe we are ready and capable of challenging.
“The fact that Glasgow City are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League so that will tell you how good a team they are and there is no doubt we are big underdogs on Friday night. But the fight will be there, the passion will be there and the organisation will be there and we will see.”
Wary of putting a time frame on just how far Celtic can expect to run Glasgow City this term, Alonso has nevertheless admitted that he is keen to see just what the gap is between the sides after Friday night’s game.
“We know it is a tough challenge,” he said. “The fact they are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League so that will tell you how good a team they are and there is no doubt we are big underdogs on Friday night.
“But the fight will be there, the passion will be there and the organisation will be there and we will see. It will show where we are right now. If I have to guess I would say that we are close to their level but the real test is on Friday.
“That will show us where we are right now and what we have to do to keep going up a level.
“It is early days. But we want to see a good show.”
n A family season ticket for Celtic’s women’s side costs
£50 for two adults and two
children under 16. All home games are played at K-Park in East Kilbride
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