Follow the womens games closely (as my daughter playes at Metro United) and read up on news from around australia about girls with enormous potential. More so the South Australian girls but other stories are a good read.
I came across this.
Amber Neilson hopes Matildas form ends in Swede success
BY JOSH LEESON
28/01/2009 4:00:00 AM
NEWCASTLE W-League Jet Amber Neilson hopes to assemble an impressive highlights package from the two Matildas friendlies against Italy over the next fortnight to earn a Swedish contract.
Buoyed by a coming-of-age season with the Jets, Neilson wants to follow striker Kate Gill's footsteps by moving to Scandinavia to play in the Damallsvenskan, the Swedish women's first division.
Gill was a success with AIK FC last year and returned to Newcastle a more accomplished player.
In turn, Gill was able to attract imports Sanna Frostevall and Rebecca Smith to the Jets through her association with the Swedish competition.
Frostevall is behind the push for Neilson to move to Europe and has already emailed several clubs on the Cessnock girl's behalf.
Neilson is now putting together a CV to attract interest from clubs.
The 24-year-old has already played 12 matches for the Matildas since making her debut against Japan in 2006, and Jets coach Gary Phillips said the holding midfielder could rise to another level in Sweden.
Frostevall is also promoting goalkeeper Alison Logue and central defender Stacey Day to Swedish clubs.
"It would be great for their personal development," Phillips said.
"I got an email from Sanna this morning that she was going to look out for teams for Amber and Alison and push Stacey as well.
"Katie [Gill] came back with a lot more confidence and she looked stronger."
Neilson was Phillips's orchestrator in the W-League, and he said she could do the same in Sweden.
"Her vision and game awareness is much better than other people's," he said.
"She has a great passing game and I think somewhere like that would bring her out and make her more of a leader.
"The more time she is on the ball, the more dominant our team is."
If Neilson moves to Sweden, she is likely to start in the second half of the season, in August, and could miss the start of the W-League. She would also need to defer her nursing degree at Newcastle University.
"I've always wanted to play overseas, and when the girls [Frostevall and Smith] were here, I thought it was a sign that maybe I could go play in Sweden," Neilson said.
"I'll defer nursing. My body isn't going to last forever, so if I get a chance to travel and play soccer, I'm going to take it."
Neilson also credited the W-League with providing her with the confidence to attempt a move to Sweden.
"Gary put a lot of responsibility on me to control the game and he made me come out of my shell a bit more," she said.
"I had to talk a lot and organise the game a lot, and as the games went along I became more confident."
