Orebro City partnership takes shape
Glasgow City welcomed Swedish Damallsvenskan (League One) side KIF Orebro to Glasgow this week as part of their three year partnership deal signed last November.
After two successful visits by City coaching staff to Sweden and a return visit by the Orebro’s coaching team at the end of last year, it was planned that City would host their Scandinavian counterparts this week, in preparation for Orebro’s season which begins in only two weeks.
On Thursday night at Cliftonhill, home to Albion Rovers FC, City and Orebro contested a competitive match for the first time with the Swedes running out 3-0 winners. With Orebro semi-professional it was always going to be tough for City. The Swedes have also strengthened for their season ahead, and fielded their recent signings of two Finish internationalists and two players from previous UEFA Women’s Cup winners Umea. The new signings combined with Orebro’s existing two Swedish internationalists, highlighted the fact that this was going to be City’s toughest match of the season so far.
On Saturday, the match took a slightly different shape when the two sides lined up at Lochinch in Pollok Park. A couple of injuries combined with unavailability of others, gave Manager Peter Caulfield the opportunity to field some players for the future, when three Under 17’s took their place in the City side. The match this time ended 5-1 to Orebro.
Head Coach Kate Cooper was delighted with the two games. She said, “This partnership is a first for us and Scotland and will only improve us as a side. Playing a semi-professional team like Orebro shows us where we would like to be not only on the field but off it also. I would say overall, while we perhaps are better technically, the increased training in the Swedish team showed their greater fitness and sharpness all over the pitch. We are also perhaps far less ruthless in front of goal. On Thursday’s game for example, we had an equal number of shots, yet they scored three and we never got on the scoresheet at all.
“In August, we will go over to Sweden for a week in preparation for the start of our season. This will give our team the greatest opportunity they have ever had to prepare for the Premier League and over time this partnership will hopefully see a significant improvement in Glasgow City FC.”
29.03.08
