As she prepares to take on Cardiff City in the Champions League, FC Twente and Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark has opened up on her move to The Netherlands.
Having played several games at the beginning of last season for Bristol City, Clark ultimately left the recently relegated club at the start of the summer.
While her contract was up at the end of the season, Clark has revealed she had an opportunity to stay with the Robins but decided against it.
“I didn’t know I was leaving Bristol City for a while. I was out of contract at the end of the season, but talks were ongoing, and I had the option to stay.
“But when this opportunity came up, I decided that this was the opportunity that was right for me. In the long-term, this will be a good move for me.”
It didn’t take long for Wales’ number one to decide on her future, with a move to the reigning Eredivisie champions one she wanted to make.
“I knew about Twente’s interest just before the last camp. I was talking to my agent about things to do with the visa and how easy it was to go over.
“I spoke to the sporting director, and everything just went from there. Whilst I was on camp, I made the decision and said to myself, this is what I want to do.
“I didn’t know much about the Eredivisie, but it’s a league that’s up and coming. FC Twente have won the title nine times, and that helped make my decision a lot easier, because I want to win trophies.
“Being in a relegation battle last season was difficult. It was great to win the Championship the season before, and I know what it felt like to win, and I want to do that again.
“When you look at the ambition of the club, coupled with the family environment they have here and the reliance on youth, I realised that this was the right choice.”
Move to FC Twente
For a young goalkeeper like Clark, the prospect of playing for serial trophy winners is an exciting one, especially seeing the success shot-stoppers have had in Enschede.
Dutch internationals Sari van Veenendaal and Daphne van Domselaar had long successful stints at the club, with van Domselaar sealing a move to the WSL last year, and now she finds herself at Arsenal.
The prospect of following in the footsteps of two legendary keepers is certainly one Clark couldn’t turn down.
“I spoke to Tom Pressman, our goalkeeping coach at Wales, because he signed Daphne when he was at Aston Villa. He said good things about her time here, and the fact WSL clubs are looking at this club for youth players is really positive.
“They’ve got a good track record for keepers here, so the goalkeeper coach must be doing something right!”
Clark has admitted herself the first few weeks over in The Netherlands have been tough, especially negotiating the language barrier and embracing a different culture. Thankfully, Duolingo is able to help with the former.
However, Clark isn’t the only Welsh international to move on to pastures new this summer.
Carrie Jones has relocated to Sweden, Charlie Estcourt is in the USA, Meg Wynne has found a new home down under, and the likes of Rhiannon Roberts and Jess Fishlock have been overseas for more than a season.
Suddenly, this is a Wales team with a very international look, and Clark believes it can only be a good thing for the country.
“I’m not massively surprised by how many of us have moved abroad. Going abroad is something a lot of us have talked about, and something a lot of us are interested in doing.
“Sometimes when you play in the same league, whether that’s the WSL or the Championship, it can get repetitive with the same players being there. Going abroad is just something completely different and it helps you massively as a person, especially when you’re young.
“It’s going to be great for Wales too, the fact we’re moving all the globe, and hopefully we can all bring something over from the countries we’re playing in.”
Playing abroad is now something Clark has ticked off, but another she wanted to do was win trophies, and it didn’t take long for her to do that either.
Her first game for her new club took place on Saturday, as FC Twente defeated Ajax 6-1 in the Dutch Supercup.
“It was a crazy game! Beating Ajax 6-1 was just a crazy experience because I don’t think we expected to get a big win like that.
“For 50-60 minutes, it was a really close game. They scored first and they had chances early in the second half, and it really could have gone either way. We tried to capitalise on all our chances, and it was really positive from that standpoint.
“To win a trophy in my first game, I can’t really ask for more. But it also shows the drive and ambition of this club. To beat a team like Ajax 6-1 is a good accomplishment, and we want to push on to more things this year.”
Champions League clash against Cardiff City
After winning a trophy in her first game, Clark’s second game could come on Wednesday night, as they begin their Champions League campaign against Cardiff City.
Twente are nine-time Eredivisie champions, but a place in the group stages of the UWCL has evaded them.
The club is desperate to test itself against Europe’s best, and that journey begins against the Bluebirds.
The Dutch champions will go in as overwhelming favourites, but Clark says she and the rest of her team will not take City lightly.
“I’m really looking forward to the game against Cardiff. I don’t know too much about them, but I know they have a lot of youth players, and that they are a team that is used to success.
“It’s going to be a difficult game for us, but for me, it’ll be nice to have some home comforts around!
“It’s been hard being here with the language and everything, but it’ll be nice to be on the pitch with people who speak English as well.”
As you listen to Clark speak, you realise very quickly just how ambitious she is, and this move to FC Twente is just the next step in what is sure to be a glittering career.
Her hopes are high for this season, and Clark is looking forward to her Dutch adventure.
“I want to gain as much as I can on and off the pitch. Becoming a better player is obviously an aim and I want to win trophies.
“I want to be successful, and I think this move will put me in a really good place for the playoffs in October and November, and that was something I really wanted to be ready for.
“I want to play as much as I can, but if I don’t play, then I want to be as good a keeper as I can be. I want to improve as much as I can.”
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