This time last year Jess Ziu was preparing for a trip to Greenogue to face Peamount United in a top-of-the-table clash.
She was substituted late in a 5-0 defeat that, at the time, left pundits suggesting that the Women’s National League title was on its way to the Newcastle-based outfit.
That was before the rip-roaring drama of last year’s season finale sent the trophy on a taxi ride from Greenogue down the M50 to Tolka Park.
Exactly 12 months to the day from that hammering in front of a handful of spectators, Ziu will line out at Stamford Bridge in West Ham’s Women’s Super League opener against Chelsea.
Buoyed by the European Championships heroics of England, tickets for the clash are selling nicely.
Ziu’s dad, a Chelsea fan, has already got his.
“Me and Izzy [Atkinson] went to the Euros final, and just to see the game,” said the 20-year-old Ireland international, ahead of Thursday’s crucial World Cup qualifier against Finland.
“There were men, women and kids at it. It was great to see all genders.
“The crowds were unbelievable. Even our game against Chelsea at the start of the season, there has been a good few thousand tickets sold.
“It’s great that with the publicity that women’s football is finally getting, and hopefully we can keep growing.
“Our first game against Chelsea is going to be at Stamford Bridge so that’ll be an interesting one.”
She added: “My dad is a Chelsea fan so that’s why it is huge for him. It’s a win-win for him to see his daughter at Stamford Bridge.
“I can’t wait. It’s a dream from playing at Tolka, from where Peamount play and Cork to Stamford Bridge.
“It’s unbelievable and is something that I never thought was going to happen.
“Hopefully the pressure doesn’t get to me but it will be unreal and I’m looking forward to it.”
She should be well able to cope with the pressure by the time the September 11 WSL match comes around.
It’ll be in the ha’penny place when it comes to what’s at stake this week.
A win against Finland and Ireland are in the World Cup play-offs. Any other result and it boils down to next Tuesday’s visit to Slovakia.
It’s a first ever sell-out for the Girls in Green, with 7,500 tickets snapped up within half-an-hour of going on sale.
Ziu is only now wrapping her head around the Finland game.
“I haven’t actually had a lot of time to look at the games because everything has been coming so quick with West Ham,” she said.
“But yeah, we are one point ahead of them, it’s in our hands, I think it’s important that we don’t feel a lot of pressure going into the game and we just stick to what we’ve been doing in every camp.
“Don’t change anything up. I think we can get a result out of it if we just stick to our guns.”
She feels more prepared than ever to face the intensity of international football, now that she is in a full-time environment at West Ham.
“It’s been my dream since I started playing,” she said.
“I finally got it and I don’t think I could be at a better club than West Ham. It felt like home from the first day there. They are so supportive of me.
“We’ve had quite a tough pre-season individually. I thought I actually had a decent run.
“A few niggles caught up with me, but at the minute I’m going strong and hopefully we can start the season well.
“We’ve got our own individual programmes that we work off at West Ham. They are all specific to each player.
“We get two days off whereas with Shels it was three days on, then one game and then the rest were off.
“The load is way more. Everything is much harder over there. But we have also got chefs with us in the ground, which kind of helps because nutrition is a huge thing.
“We’ve got a guy who helps us with our sleep and stuff. We’ve got all the small things, but everything that will help us get the best out of us.”
Helping her settle in is her former Shels teammate Izzy Atkinson, who moved from Celtic to West Ham last month.
“Her coming to West Ham was a shock. I knew nothing about it. She kept it a secret and so did the staff,” said Ziu.
“When I found out about it I was really happy and I’m sharing a house with her too, so that helped me settle in.
“I was actually away with my family on holidays and she texted me saying before it gets released in the media, I’m coming to West Ham with you.
“I was shocked. I had no words, because she is my roomie in camp when she is here. So it was unbelievable.”
She added: “It is quite tough to adapt. I think what makes it tougher too is I don’t drive. So it is kind of tough to get around.
“I didn’t know how to cook, I didn’t know how to do anything, because I had my parents at home to do all that for me.
“But now I actually see myself as quite an independent person.
“I can do everything myself. I have been cooking for myself, I can do my washing, I even have an electric scooter to get around now.
“It’s so different compared to at home, but I’ve been loving it since I got there. I think I’ve become very independent.”
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