Manchester City and Oranje Leeuwinnen midfielder, Jill Roord, spoke to the media in Bilbao this morning ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League Final between Barcelona and Lyon.
As Manchester City fell narrowly short of Barclays Women’s Super League glory at the hands of an unforgiving Chelsea outfit, summer signing Jill Roord watched on from the sidelines after sustaining a devastating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during a FA Continental Tyres Cup clash with Manchester United.
Speaking to the media in Bilbao on Saturday morning, Jill Roord reflected on her experience watching on from the sidelines as her side fought to the final day.
“It’s difficult, I’ve never had an injury. I didn’t realise it was going to be so long. Towards the end of the season, I didn’t really have that feeling anymore. My team, they involved me in everything, but I’m not playing, I can’t really do anything to make them win.
It’s difficult to watch, and you don’t really feel involved. I felt proud watching because we’ve done so well, and it’s a shame that we didn’t win it in the end.”
Finishing fourth in the season of last, and failing to make a real impact deep into their European campaign in years prior, Manchester City now have another chance to make their presence known in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Having been there plenty times before, Roord reflected on what she believes will be the difference for City during next season’s European tour.
“I think we are in a really good place right now. I think when I came last year, obviously they finished fourth so the confidence maybe wasn’t entirely there at the beginning of the season. I think after this season everybody is feeling really confident.
We won many big games, we also should have won many big games but then we gave [them] away. I think we feel very confident, and we should, we have a really good team.”
Everyone familiar with an ACL injury is well-versed in the gruelling recovery process, as athletes usually face an extended spell on the sidelines of up to 9 months.
Though Roord is in high spirits, confirming that “It’s going really well” as she plugs through her journey to a return on the pitch.
“I’m on the pitch a lot running, doing ball work more and more every day. I have to train all summer, so the next three months I will be running a lot, ball work, passing, changing directions. When preseason starts I will hopefully be doing stuff with the team.
I’m doing fine. I’m too down to earth to stress too much and everything, so, I’m fine. This might sound weird, but from the moment I knew it was an ACL, I was like ‘9 months I can get super fit and work on things I don’t usually work on.”
When reflecting on how her time away from the football pitch may benefit her in altruistic ways, Roord said that she was ‘also in one way excited’ to divert her attention toward more technical areas. Not only football, but Roord’s high spirits have seen her pick up new interests:
“I’m also reading a little bit, I never read before. I’m reading crimes, like thrillers!”
Adding finally, “I go day by day, I don’t really look too far ahead. I just enjoy my sessions.”
The House of WePlayStrong event took place in Bilbao on the morning of the UEFA Women’s Champions League final. UEFA’s WePlayStrong campaign is dedicated to celebrating and advancing women’s football across Europe.
The House of WePlayStrong will included a variety of activities, speakers, and interactive experiences throughout the day.
