Abbie Larkin says it’s “amazing” that she can be a professional footballer in the League of Ireland - and she is already feeling the benefits of her status change on the pitch.
The Shamrock Rovers youngster was away last month with Vera Pauw’s senior Ireland squad in Spain last month and featured in the scoreless friendly draw with China.
Despite just training a few weeks with the Hoops in pre-season before the trip, the 17-year-old felt fitter and sharper than ever during the 10-day camp in Marbella.
“Obviously it was my first time being in the camp as a professional,” Larkin told the Irish Daily Star.
“At the start when I wasn’t professional, it was tough because all the girls were playing in a professional environment at club level, and they were fitter and stronger.
“It was hard for me to adapt at the start. But now I think I am adapting a lot better.
“In training I feel a lot stronger, a lot fitter and I feel more comfortable. My confidence is really improving as well.”
With a World Cup just around the corner, Larkin hopes the extra work at Rovers will boost her chances of winning a spot in Pauw’s squad this summer.
“It’s just so amazing that I can get a lot more training, and high-intensity training with the girls that are on my team,” she said.
“Everyone wants to work hard and try to get into the World Cup squad.
“It’s amazing to see that, because everyone in our training is pushing everyone on.
“It’s very competitive and that’s what you need to become a better player, and to be the best version of yourself.
“It’s great to have that motivation, because you can have a bad day or you might feel tired. But the girls would push you on.”
She added: “I’m going to be working hard and focusing on my games now and the next camp coming up against the USA.
“I am not focusing too much on Australia, because you obviously need to perform well right now. If I keep playing well and working hard, hopefully I’ll be there.”
Larkin is one of 12 professionals at Shamrock Rovers and on International Women’s Day, the PFA Ireland are hailing the transition of the Women’s Premier Division this year from amateur to professional status.
Simone Flannery is the women's player executive at the players’ union - and she said: “It is something that we feel was long overdue.
“It is hugely positive that players now have the opportunity to play professional football in this country.
“Players' voices are vital for pushing the standards and growth within the league, and we look forward to working together with our members to implement the necessary changes that they feel are required to improve the League over the coming seasons.
“For the clubs to now be in a position to offer professional contracts to players is something that can only raise the standards for the whole League.”
Stephanie Zambra joined the Hoops from Peamount United during the close season and she admitted: “I probably didn’t see professionalism coming while I was still playing.
“It’s great that it’s finally making its way there. I always wanted it to be a thing and Rovers have set the standard.
“Rovers are doing the right thing, but to have that and to be under a professional contract and to have that obligation on you as a player, it’s going to bring the game on.
“If every club can do that in the near future, it can only be good for the league.”
Roche has played in the USA, England, Italy and France, and she described the Rovers set up as “right up there.”
She continued: “The best one I was in was at Sunderland.
“At the time, the men’s team were in the Premier League, so we had a good high performance gym, the pitches were great, we had the canteen where there was food ready for us whenever we wanted it, so that was the best I experienced.
“But Rovers come close to everywhere else I’ve been.
“They’ve got the right set-up, the gym, the indoor pitch and the way they look after us with food after training, that can get us the extra percentages that will hopefully stand to us.
“It’s something I have always talked about, something that has been needed.
“England and the USA are probably way ahead of the other leagues I’ve played in.
“But France and Italy, when I was training with my teammates there wasn’t a huge difference between the talent of the players there and in Ireland, the difference they had was they were training more and they were in a professional environment.
“They had the backing of their clubs to just focus on football. That was why it was a step ahead, for me, from Ireland.
“With this coming in, it gives players the opportunity to be full-time professional footballers.
“The talent has always been here, it’s just about giving us the helping hand to get there. The success of the senior women’s team will also help.”
