O'Brien Excited By LCFC Women's Intent
- Midfielder Shannon O'Brien says she's thrilled to join a promising LCFC Women's side
- The 19-year-old joined the Foxes from Coventry United on Friday
- O'Brien spoke to LCFC.com about her strengths and 2020/21 targets
Top of the FA Women's Championship by a margin of three points, after winning seven matches in a row over the winter, City are also into the semi-finals of the Continental Tyres League Cup.
O'Brien, meanwhile, joined the Foxes from divisional rivals Coventry United on an 18-month contract after emerging through Aston Villa's youth ranks to became an established talent in the second tier.
Her five goals in 12 outings last term were an impressive indicator of the Coventry-born midfielder's potential and, while injury have limited her appearances in 2020/21, she's excited to get started.
"I’m buzzing," O'Brien admitted this week. "It’s been a while that we’ve been talking about it, but I’m really excited to get going now with a promising team and I’m really looking forward to it.
"I’ve met the girls and they were all really nice, really friendly and I had a nice welcome. There’s a lot of players my age, so it was nice to meet everybody.
"There’s a winning mentality here which is something I think I have as well, so I should fit straight in and hopefully we can keep this run going."
After acquainting herself with the LCFC Women squad at Belvoir Drive upon agreeing terms, O'Brien got her first look at the excellent facilities on offer at their new headquarters.
Having a permanent home, with all the resources they could wish for, will be a firm foundation for the Foxes to achieve their ambitions, the 19-year-old told LCFC.com.
"Today was my first session and I had a tour of it and you just don’t see that standard of facility in women’s football a lot," she added.
"It’s massive and the facilities are unreal. It’s a really nice place. Not a lot of women’s teams get this sort of backing, so it’s a credit to the Club for having that belief in the team.
"Hopefully we can go places and, with a backing like this, there’s no reason why we can’t."
While O'Brien did not feature in the game, Leicester's biggest victory of the season so far - a 9-1 triumph over Coventry United at Butts Park Arena in November - left a big impression on her.
After watching seven different goalscorers find the net in a single game, away from home, she believes her individual attacking attributes are well suited to City's collective qualities.
"I didn’t play in that game, I was actually injured, but they were so impressive," she explained. "They were a really attacking team with a high press, so it’s exciting.
"It’s the way I want to play football so I’m looking forward to be involved with that. I’m only 19, but I think I’m an all-out 100 per cent kind of player.
"I like to press high and I’m pretty quick. I like to run in the game and I try to be an unselfish player.
"Although I’m an attacking player and I like to score goals, I like to set up other people as well. Hopefully I can do that for LCFC Women."