Ceri Holland: I couldn't turn down Liverpool FC Women opportunity

It's fair to say life has been something of a whirlwind for the 23-year-old Wales youth international in the past few years.

The Yorkshire-born midfielder started her footballing journey at Manchester City before moving across the Atlantic to play in the USA at Kansas University.

It was in Kansas that Holland developed a nice habit as a midfield player with energy to burn and an eye for goal – with that form seeing the Reds come calling to set up a return to the UK in a deal that was announced today.

Read on as the new signing tells us her hopes and ambitions in the years to come at Liverpool FC Women…

Ceri, welcome to Liverpool Football Club. How does it feel to be a Liverpool player?

It's obviously really exciting and I'm excited to get here and start with the girls. It's just an honour really to be representing such a big club. For them to give me this opportunity is just amazing for me and I'm really excited to get going.

Have you had your first chance to meet the team yet?

Yes, I met them on Tuesday and they are a great bunch. They all made me feel really, really welcome so I just see myself fitting in quite nicely. They have all been really welcoming so I can't ask for any more. It's a good environment to be in and an environment where I think I can add something to it and help the team with results, hopefully. That's my aim really.

How did this move to Liverpool come about, because you've been in the USA, haven't you?

I've been in America for three-and-a-half years at Kansas with their university. I got contacted by Liverpool and when I first started to talk to them, I got quite a good vibe from them. So it's just been a really exciting opportunity and one I couldn't really turn down.

Watch: Ceri Holland's first LFC interview

What was that experience like for you, playing in America?

It was one of the best decisions of my life, honestly, to go out there and just to experience a new culture, a new country and it made me grow a lot – not just as a player but as a person. It's made me become a lot more confident and it has been a great experience. It definitely develops you on and off the field. They are very big at developing you as a person as well as a player. It has really benefited me in the long run I think, becoming more confident and just being able to express myself a bit better.

You were at Manchester City previously, before you went to Kansas…

I was at Manchester City for three years, so that was a great experience as well. It really set me up to go to America and do good things on the field and also off the field as well.

This is obviously a very different challenge you're coming back to the UK for – what excited you about it?

It's a really exciting opportunity. I just can't wait to get going now and get on the pitch and start playing football again and represent a great club.

Amber Whiteley is in charge of the team right now – what has she said to you about the challenge and the plan ahead?

Amber is great. When I first started talking to Amber I got a fantastic vibe off her and I think she can really challenge me as a player. I'm really excited to work under her and I think she's got a great vision for the club and she really wants to push us on and get us back to where we belong in the top league.

When we get the fans in the stadium, I can tell you that you are going to love the Liverpool FC Women supporters and they will soon have a song for you. How much are you looking forward to playing in front of them when it's all safe to do so?

I can't wait and it will be great to get the fans back in the stadium. I've heard a lot about the Liverpool fans and I've heard they are a passionate bunch, so I'm really excited and I can't wait to experience that at first hand.

For the fans that don't quite know that much about you, just tell us about yourself as a player and what the fans can expect to see on the pitch...

I like to think I'm a box-to-box midfielder and I like both sides of the game. I like defending but I also like helping in the attack, so hopefully I can create some opportunities for the team and also help us defensively and stop the opposition creating chances.

You are a young player yourself, so how much are you looking to playing in the midfield with Rachel Furness, who is a big influence on this team?

I can't wait. I've heard a lot about Rachel and I've obviously seen she has done a lot for the game, so I'm really excited to learn first hand from her. It's just a really exciting opportunity for me to work and learn with these players day in, day out and hopefully that can reflect in my game as well.

We next play on February 7 away at Charlton Athletic – have you started thinking about a possible debut in that game yet, putting on the red shirt for the first time?

It's obviously in the back of my mind and I'm really excited. But first of all I just need to get on the training pitch, work hard and show what I can do on the field. We will take each game as it comes and we want to win each game as they come. You can tell there is a lot of determination in this group and a lot of ambition – and that was something that really stuck out to me about this team. They want to grow and get back in the top league and I'm just excited to be a part of that.

What do you hope to achieve at Liverpool FC Women?

I just want to make an impact and hopefully help the team on the field. That's probably my main ambition and hopefully score a couple of goals here and there. I just want to help this team win football matches.

You've represented Wales at youth level so far, and you have a Wales international at the club in Rhiannon Roberts who can also help you…

It was a great experience playing for Wales at youth level and one of my ambitions is to hopefully play at senior international level one day, which is in the back of my mind. I met Razza the other day and she was lovely and I'm excited to play alongside her.

Obviously we are in lockdown at the moment but hopefully we come out of it in the near future. How much are you looking forward to living in the city and getting a chance to see more of Liverpool?

I'm really excited. I've heard a lot about Liverpool and the city. The girls say it's amazing with a great culture and a great city to live in. So I'm excited and can't wait to get the chance to experience it.