These are heady times for Jess Ziu.
The Finglas native is in Ireland camp ahead of Thursday night's massive World Cup qualifier showdown with Finland at Tallaght Stadium.
She's also preparing for her first season in the Women's Super League having moved to West Ham from Shelbourne.
First game up? A trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea, the team her dad supports.
"My mam would buy me any jersey that looked nice, but Man City," Ziu replied on Monday when asked who she supported growing up.
"West Ham men played Man City on the opening day of the season and I had my Man City jersey with me but I couldn't wear it or put it on! But 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, where Peamount play and Cork to Stamford Bridge is 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."
"Izzy coming to West Ham was a shock. I knew nothing about it. She kept it a secret and so did the staff."
It's been a year of accelerated progress for the 20-year-old midfielder. She broke into Vera Pauw's senior Ireland squad, earning a first start in last November's 11-0 destruction of Georgia.
The Dubliner had been one of the driving forces behind Shels' Women's National League title success but by the following March - St Patrick's Day to be precise - it was confirmed she'd be heading to the Hammers, ultimately linking up one of her old Shels team-mates Izzy Atkinson, who arrived from Celtic in July.
"Izzy coming to West Ham was a shock. I knew nothing about it. She kept it a secret and so did the staff.
"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 on 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."
The pair are part of a conveyor belt of talent that's left Shels for England in recent times: Emily Whelan, Saoirse Noonan, Chloe Mustaki, Jamie Finn, Ciara Grant... the list is long and impressive.
"I think it's the management," Ziu said when asked about the secret behind the club's record for producing international quality players.
"I’ve been really lucky with the management and players that were around me. Even Pearl [Slattery], Noelle [Murray] and Rebecca Creagh. What more do you want around you in the Women’s National League?
"Leanne [Kiernan] was the one that I looked up to when she went to West Ham and even Katie McCabe. I spoke to her about making the transition to England. The girls that we also have at Shels now, Abbie [Larkin], Aoife Kelly, Lia O’Leary. We have so much talent there, and it is important now that Noel King keeps them level headed and keeps working on their ability."
Ziu is a confident, assured character but she freely admits adjusting to life in a city as vast as London is difficult. On top of that she's also had to get used to the increased physical demands of the Hammers' full-time set-up. The intensity is a challenge, but the quality set-up helps.
"It is quite tough to adapt [to London]. 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 am actually, I 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.
"[Full-time football] has been brilliant. It’s been my dream since I started playing. 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.
"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."
"West Ham 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."
Her sole focus right now though is on Ireland. Victory against the Finns at a sold-out Tallaght will send the Girls in Green into the play-offs, and keep Ireland's World Cup dream alive.
Finland failed to win a game at the summer's Euros and sacked manager Anna Signeul after the tournament but Ziu expects a fierce test against a side who simply have to win to keep their own play-off hopes alive.
"They were in the Euros and we didn't even get there so that was an achievement in itself," she said.
"We’re one point ahead of Finland so the pressure is on us. But we are not going to change anything and we will stick to ourselves and keep it going.
"All my family and friends are trying to get tickets, but the site crashed with all the people on the site and all the tickets were gone. It is unbelievable. I think they sold out in a couple of minutes. We’ve never had a sellout at Tallaght before so hopefully everyone who has a ticket can come."
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