Source: TheGuardian
Ellie Brazil, the English teenager testing herself at Serie A champions Fiorentina
When offered the chance to swap Birmingham for Florence, the 18-year-old decided to learn a new language, a new style of football and how to cookBy Rich Laverty for for These Football Times, part of the Guardian Sport NetworkFlorence, the city of lilies, is the perfect getaway for anyone yearning for a peaceful weekend in the tranquil surroundings of Tuscany. It has the Uffizi Gallery, the Arno river and those famous red top buildings. It is also the home of 18-year-old English forward Ellie Brazil, who left Birmingham City in the FA Women’s Super League this summer to sign for Serie A champions Fiorentina.Like fellow England youngster Katie Zelem, who moved to Juventus during the summer, Brazil was swayed by the idea of sampling a new culture. “The first two months I was here it was still summer, so it was gorgeous,” says the 18-year-old. “It’s just a different lifestyle. A few years ago I moved to Birmingham, away from my friends and parents, so it wasn’t something that scared me. It drove me to do it, to gain more independence and gain more life experience.” Related: Katie Zelem: ‘My agent said Juventus are interested. I just thought: Wow’ Related: The film student who took up video analysis and ended up coaching Norway Continue reading......read full article
