After a scintillating debut campaign, Melbourne City FC’s Jess Fishlock says her side is determined to progress to the 2015-16 Westfield W-League Grand Final with a win over Brisbane Roar.
City booked its spot in the semi-final with three matches to spare, securing top spot and the Premier’s Plate in the process.
“The group that we have is a very, very special group and I don’t think right now that we’d want to have the season that we’ve had and drop out on Monday,” Fishlock said.
“I believe in these girls, I’m confident in these girls I don’t think the fact that it’s a semi-final will hinder us and I’m really excited to play AAMI park, I think that’ll help us on a big pitch.
“We have a week now to prepare. Brisbane is going to be a good team and are always going to be tricky,” she added.
Upon joining Melbourne City FC this season, the 29-year-old also donned the arm-band in a co-captaincy alongside Lisa De Vanna.
Adding to the Welsh international’s duties, Fishlock also embarked upon a role as assistant coach under the stewardship of Joe Montemurro.
“It is exactly that, a dual role,” Fishlock said.
“I obviously play but have a huge part as an assistant to Joe, which is something that I’ve really enjoyed and learnt a lot from.
I think Joe is fantastic and he’s a really good person for me to learn from, from the coaching perspective.
“We manage the different roles really well when it comes to training and in training I am simply a player but when it comes analysis, individual stuff, if we do separate things, than I can do a coaching role and coach inside of it,” she said.
Regarded as one the best talents in the women’s football, Fishlock compared the facilities at the City Football Academy as some of the best she’s experienced.
Hailing from Cardiff, Fishlock has played among some of the best teams across Europe and the United States ranking Melbourne City’s as the benchmark in Australia.
“I think from the same perspective I’ve been extremely impressed with everything that they have and everything that they are working towards in the women’s game,” she said.
I said to someone the other day that what Melbourne City Women have here, only a very few clubs in the world will have this facility and have this backing and have everything that we have.
They are setting standard, huge standards and its very exciting times for the W-League here because next year, clubs have a choice to make. They either catch up and try and match and invest or they don’t and they don’t and that’s not very helpful for the league.
I think that what Melbourne city have done here and the Melbourne city group could be the changing force in Australian football, women’s football for sure. Like is said I’m just extremely thankful that I can be apart of that.
Melbourne City FC will host its semi-final against Brisbane Roar on Monday 25 January at AAMI Park, 4:30pm kick-off.
