As City got our European campaign underway in Vienna, Amy Anderson was immersed in every moment, both on and off the pitch. From the lessons learned in our match against FK Austria Wien, the work done on the training pitch and team bonding in the Austrian capital, the midfielder believes the experience will be crucial over the season ahead.
After a frustrating injury kept Anderson out for much of pre-season, her return to fitness saw her travel with the team for their UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round semi-final against Austria Wien.
Although she was an unused substitute in the 2-0 defeat at the Franz Horr Stadium, there remains plenty for City to play for as they now transition into the newly introduced Europa Cup.
It is set to be a busy fortnight for City, who return to Scottish Women’s Premier League action at Petershill Park against Montrose on Sunday 7th September, before contesting the first leg of first round Europa qualifying in midweek.
A visit to Hamilton Accies in the league then precedes the second leg of qualifying which is set to take place on 17/18th September.
It is a period of the season where Head Coach Leanne Ross will already be looking to utilise our squad depth, and that is especially motivating for Anderson, who is seeking her first minutes of the campaign.
“I’m feeling really good,” Anderson said. “I’m happy to get over the wee niggle and injury that I had, but I just want to kick on again, enjoy my football and play as much as I can.
“It was disappointing to miss out on pre-season because I know how much work I had put in on the off season. I came back and felt really good.
“My strength and fitness tests were better than they had been the previous year, so I knew my hard work had paid off.
“It has been a wee bump in the road with this injury, but I would rather it happen at the start of the season than halfway through.
“I’m feeling good. I just want to get back fitter and stronger again. Hopefully, I can really go and kick on now.
“I’m aiming to get minutes in our next game against Montrose. I want to give myself a good chance to feature in the Europa Cup games. But, for me, I just want to feature as often as I can.”
As Anderson continues to find her rhythm on the pitch, she also reflected on how the trip to Vienna has strengthened the bond within the squad. While the result against FK Austria Wien was disappointing, the opportunity for the team to come together has been just as valuable.
And having spent so much time together, these off-pitch moments will prove invaluable when it comes to performing as a unit on the pitch.
“It has been enjoyable,” the midfielder said. “It’s a city I’ve never been to before, so it was good to get a bit of off-time to go and explore a bit.
“The football side has still been good despite the result on Wednesday night.
“I had trips away with Scotland at youth level, but this is the longest I’ve been away with club and my first experience of the Champions League.
“It’s been good. At breakfast, lunch and dinner, you don’t always sit with the same people, so you get to know everyone more. You’re sharing a room with a teammate, so you can get to know them more as well.
“Things like this can be massive. On the pitch, it’ll put us in good stead. You can have all of the quality in the world, but if you’re not together as a team then you are not going to get very far.
“The work we’ve done in Vienna will be valuable for weeks to come. We played an 11 v 11 in training and that was good for people like me who haven’t had many minutes and game time recently.”
Alongside her own development, Anderson is keen to help others on their journey at City. During this trip, she has been sharing a room with summer signing and former Motherwell teammate Louisa Boyes.
The pair have followed a similar path in that joining City – with Anderson signing for the club last summer – gave them their first experience of playing full-time professional football.
“I knew Louisa at Motherwell but we probably drifted when I came to City last year,” Anderson said. “It has been nice to rekindle that.
“Louisa is new to the club, so I want to help here where I can and her experience.”
“I’d tell her just to be patient and to enjoy it,” Anderson replied when asked what advice she would give. “Who wants to be working in an office when you can do this as your job? It’s about being patient and taking the opportunities when you get them.”
As the season progresses, Anderson is eager to build on her recovery, get more minutes on the pitch, and make her mark for to City in both both domestic and European competitions.