Melbourne City FC has kick-started its preparations for the upcoming Westfield W-League 2015/16 season with the team commencing its first training session on Tuesday afternoon.
Under the watchful eye of Head Coach Joe Montemurro, nine W-League contracted players took part in the session at the City Football Academy, Melbourne, with inaugural signing and Matildas captain Lisa De Vanna training alongside international teammates Laura Alleway and Larissa Crummer.
Contracted players Alex Chidiac, Monique Iannella and Beattie Goad also took part in the session, while new signings Rebekah Stott, Marianna Tabain and goalkeeper Trudy Burke trained with their teammates for the first time since joining the club.
The rest of the training squad was complemented by a total of 11 train-on players, as the Club continues to build its squad ahead of the opening W-League fixture against Sydney FC on Sunday October 18.
After returning from the recent FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015 in Canada, New Zealand international Stott brings strength to the Club’s defence, with 42 international caps to her name and experience playing overseas in Germany with Bundesliga club SC Sand.
A Perth Glory foundation player, winger Tabain will add considerable pace to the Club’s attack, amassing over 75 W-League appearances since the inaugural W-League season in 2008, where she claimed the Goal of the Year award with a stunning strike against Adelaide United.
In another addition to the Club’s goalkeeping stocks, former Canberra United shot-stopper Burke will compete with Brianna Davey for the number one jersey after joining on from the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Montemurro expressed his delight at welcoming the trio on board ahead of the Club’s maiden campaign.
“We’re very delighted to have Rebekah here, she’s a fantastic footballer who can play anywhere at the back and in midfield and she has a fantastic attitude,” Montemurro said.
“Trudy is coming on as one of our goalkeepers, she worked with Western Sydney last year and has been great since joining on.
“Marianna has come off a stellar season at Perth. She is a fantastic midfielder who can play out wide, in the middle and is technically very good, which really fits the mantra of what we are trying to achieve here.”
Melbourne City FC’s first W-League home match is a blockbuster Melbourne Derby at AAMI Park, in a double header with Melbourne City FC’s first Hyundai A-League home match against Central Coast Mariners on Sunday 25 October.
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