Melbourne Victory are set to welcome Jessica Fishlock to the fold for their Round 3 encounter against Perth Glory, as the Welsh superstar’s return completes a set of three international signings for the club.
Coach Dave Edmondson had no hesitation in naming her in this weekend’s squad, despite limited recovery time from a long flight that had seen the 26-year-old touch down on Australian soil Wednesday night.
Fishlock was part of the Victory team that embarked on a memorable run to the Grand Final last season, but is on a full contract this year as opposed to a guest contract during her first stint.
The attacking midfielder has just completed successful stints with National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side Seattle Reign and Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) side Glasgow City FC, helping the latter side to a respectable Round of 16 appearance in the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Looking understandably fatigued at training, Fishlock spent her first training session doing some light recovery work before heading to the physio table, but Edmondson is confident she will have a part to play this weekend.
“She’ll train with the physio hopefully to get over the jet lag, get the travel out of her legs and we’ll train again [Friday] night and we’ll go from there,” Edmondson said.
“The expectation is that she will travel to Perth though and play some part in the game.”
Fishlock’s arrival means Victory now have their full quota of internationals available, a fact not lost on Edmondson.
But he warns that the rest of the line-up still have to be at their best to ensure the team gets the best out of foreign stars Fishlock, Jessica Samuelsson and Katie Hoyle.
“You sign internationals to improve the quality of the team,” he said.
“The fact that all three will be in there, we would hope that that improves the quality of the side.
“Three players doesn’t make a team, however good those three players are they need the other eight to supply them with ball and to do their jobs in and out of possession.
“Those three will add to it but it’s a team performance and we all need to perform.”
One player who is still missing though is New Zealand international defender Rebekah Stott, who also holds an Australian passport and thus qualifies as a local import.
Stott has been trying to gain an early release from her contract with 2. Bundesliga side S.C. Sand, but the club are unwilling to let her go too soon given their strong league position and a Frauen DFB-Pokal quarter final on the horizon.
Edmondson admitted it might be awhile before fans see the classy central defender back in Victory colours, but expressed hope that she would be back before the end of the season.
“They’ve done well enough to extend [their run] in that competition so she probably won’t be available until early January,” he said.
“She’s negotiated her way out but in Germany they have a winter break.
“Whereas she had hoped to have been released a bit sooner, she’s going to go up until the winter break and finish off neatly I guess and hopefully be back post-Christmas.”