With success comes the problem of hanging onto your players. Scottish women's Premier League Champions Glasgow City have lost one of their stalwarts, Jane Ross, to professional football in Sweden with Vittsjo. Ross joined Glasgow City aged 16 and has shown incredible commitment and dedication from such a young age travelling over from Rothesay at the start of her career to train and play with City. Since then, she has developed into one of the nation’s finest players and despite still being only 23 in her time with Glasgow City has won 6 Premier League titles, 3 Scottish Cups and 3 League Cups. She has also played with City at the highest level in the Champions League competing against some of the best players and teams in the world including European winners Duisburg, Frankfurt and Turbine Potsdam as well as playing against finalists Zvezda, who beat City 1-0 in 2008 on their route to Europe’s showpiece final. With her team mates Ross has travelled to a number of countries to proudly wear the City orange in European competition and has lined up in Serbia (twice), Finland, Norway, Lithuania, Northern Ireland, Germany, Iceland and Denmark.
Jane Ross prepares for challenges of the professional game in Sweden (c) Ger Harley | SportPix Unsurprisingly, her performances for City never went unnoticed on the international front and while with City, Ross progressed through the international youth ranks to the full senior team and now boasts an impressive 44 senior caps and is a mainstay of the Scotland international side. City will have a difficult task in finding somebody to fill Ross' boots as she has been such an important player for nearly seven years and is one of the best role models for aspiring young female footballers. Only five players have ever started more games for City and only two have ever scored more goals, which helps to highlight the role Ross has played in her career with Glasgow City. City are pleased on a personal level for Ross as they have been part of the development of a player who has the chance to play professional football and fulfil their ambitions. Commenting on her move, Ross said: "To play football professionally has always been an ambition of mine though, so when the opportunity arose to sign with Vittsjo next season I felt that it was one I could not pass up on. I have had many great years with Glasgow City and have had the privilege of working with some of the best coaches and playing alongside some of the most talented players in the country. I cannot thank the club enough for giving me this opportunity and for helping to develop me into the player I am today. I wish the club and the players all the best for the 2013 season and I am personally looking forward to the new challenges that lie ahead for me in Sweden." City Head Coach, Eddie Wolecki Black said: “As the new season commences we have to accept that some players will leave us and seek a fresh challenge. Jane has now achieved so much and is still only 23 years of age. Every year has seen her strengthen her reputation and consistency. I would be hard pushed to think of more dedicated individual, she has done everything in her power to improve her game. When I first arrived at the club Jane was struggling with confidence and in all honesty appeared to be totally unprepared for the rigours of the senior game. It's true as a young player it's difficult to establish consistency and Jane struggled to come to terms with this, but we have to bear in mind she left home at a young age and that is a big decision to make. However she showed how determined she was and her rise over the past 2 seasons has been remarkable, not only establishing herself as a very important player for the Club but also on the international stage. She has now added goals to her armoury and allied with her pace, skill and work rate, her new club in Sweden are getting very much a finished article. Her goals ratio for both club and country are fantastic and it's with a heavy heart we say goodbye. We can all take great credit that another one of our players is now playing in a professional league and whilst it destabilises our league to have the best players leave we will never stand in the way of players who wish new adventures and I would like to thank Jane for her fantastic contribution to the club and wish her the very best of luck in Sweden."Source: ScottishFitba
Source: FOOTYMAD
