Shelbourne captain Pearl Slattery is embracing the "different dimension" Shamrock Rovers will bring to the SSE Airtricity Women's Premier Division and insists there is no bad blood between the clubs after the Hoops signed several Reds players in the off-season.
Abbie Larkin, Jess Gargan, Shauna Fox, Lia O’Leary, Aoife Kelly and Amanda Budden are among the players who swapped Tolka Park for Tallaght Stadium over the winter.
Collie O’Neill has built a formidable Hoops squad but Slattery, who skippered Shels to the league and cup double in 2022, believes it’s positive for the league.
"Shamrock Rovers on the men's side have been champions for the last few years and they should have had a women’s team," said Slattery, who is in the running to be crowned the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Women’s Personality of the Year at this Saturday’s awards in Dublin's Clayton Hotel.
"For me, it brings a different dimension to the league and I think it's a good thing. They took some of our players [but] they were brilliant for us, you wish them all the best and that's football, that's life.
"Rovers are coming in and there are different factors but if it raises standards, I think that's only good for the women's game and for the next generation. It's been Wexford, Shels and Peas [Peamount], maybe a few others, and now Rovers will be looking to do it as well.
"It brings more competition and they will get fans to the games so for me that's all positive. For Shels, we will continue as is. In previous seasons we have lost players to abroad and this is a little different as they are going somewhere else in the league, but you wish them all the best.
"We're in pre-season now and we prefer to do the talking where it matters and that's on the pitch. It's healthy competition and that's great."
Shels and Rovers collide on week three of the new season, with Slattery adding: "There is no bad blood there. I'm sure there will be some feisty games between us this season but that's just passion.
"Our games will be as competitive as always and I think we'll see that in league games, which is what you want. Everyone wants to win. But like football, life goes on very quickly and we wish those girls the best."
Slattery enjoyed a brilliant year with Shels, who won the league on the last day of the campaign and then beat Athlone Town a week later in the FAI Women’s Cup final.
Noel King’s side also earned a memorable Champions League win against ZNK Pomurje.
They are, says Slattery, the "standard-setters" in terms of unifying a club’s men’s and women’s teams.
"People know what I think of the club, I'm the captain of the club, but in terms of coming under the one banner and treating us the same, they have been the standard-setters and done a good job. Every club in the league can always improve - different factors, whether that's payment, facilities, professional contracts, clubs that have the financial backing like Rovers do, it will make other clubs raise their standards.
"For me that's only a good thing across the league and for the women's game. More importantly, it's huge for the next generation of young players who will be playing the game.
"Our league has always been a feeder league but you are hoping that over the coming years we can become a league for other athletes who might not be going to England or Scotland.
"We have a few Americans in the league now who are doing well so you want clubs to keep raising standards. We're in a really good spot in terms of clubs but it's also important not to stand still, that we keep striving for better."
