Ruesha Littlejohn: 'We probably looked like failures because we felt like failures'

Ruesha Littlejohn: 'We were in such a good position and blew it'

Ruesha Littlejohn: 'We were in such a good position and blew it'

Ruesha Littlejohn can recount the breaking point; the stage in April when Birmingham City’s players felt compelled to rail against substandard treatment.

The midfielder had been there before, part of an Ireland squad four years earlier that decided enough was enough in their quest for adequate working conditions around representing their country.

Except this was the English Women’s Super League, presented as the stage for finest global talent to converge on. The veneer of the marketing wheeze wasn’t long being removed by the Birmingham City squad.

Their grievances were multiple, from welfare to facilities, a litany of let-downs that they asserted were mentally draining.

Littlejohn, at 31, had witnessed enough variance at clubs in England and Scotland to determine what constitutes acceptable standards.

One example of the shoddiness left them even without the basic requirement of a pitch.

“It did happen that we got kicked off our training pitch after 30 minutes,” she said of the pecking order at the Blues’ Wast Hill ‘centre of excellence'.

"If clubs want to have a female team playing in the Super League, then look after them. That involves access to gyms, somewhere to train and a place to sit in between the pitch and gym.

Those should be the basics for every women's club. I don't think it's hard to give someone a changing room to go and sit down.

As indicated by complaints at Manchester United over the women’s team changing in portable buildings, the WSL has work to do for their platinum image to be justified.

Littlejohn was glad the public shaming prompted Birmingham into action and her six Ireland teammates at the club are being properly looked after but she fled to their city rivals Aston Villa.

"The set-up at Villa’s Bodymoor Heath training ground is top class,” she notes by way of contrast.

“The pitches are incredible. You go in, get your breakfast, lunch and, sometimes, your dinner. Everything is top-notch, top quality and they really look after you which is nice.” 

Being involved in the opening two games that accrued four points also has Littlejohn enthused ahead of the first international assignment of the season.

Australia provide the opposition next Tuesday at Tallaght, the final friendly before the two powerhouses of their World Cup qualification group, Sweden and Finland, await in the opening double-header.

Atoning for the last campaign, when Ireland allowed a Euro playoff spot slip from their grasp by losing in Ukraine, is the priority as the 31-year-old enters her twilight seeking a major international tournament breakthrough.

“We probably looked like failures because we felt like failures,” the Glaswegian confessed about their late slump.

“We were in such a good position and blew it. But you’ve got to take the hits, you’ve got to take the knocks and bounce back up again.

Everyone is aware of how tough a group we have but, to reach a major tournament, you’ve got to compete against the best teams.

“It would be nice to know that you’ve actually qualified for a major tournament instead of retiring and you’ve not.

“When you’re younger, it’s not something you really think about. You’re just rolling along but now I’m going ‘right, I’m 31 and what age will I be for the next qualifiers?’ Even if we qualify, I’ll be 33 for the World Cup so I’m aware that I’m starting to get on and you’ve to make the most of it.

“But there were good players before us and it didn’t happen for them. We’ll go and try to make things right. Hopefully I can play for a couple of more years but we’ll see.” 

Whatever comes of her last chance of reaching the World Cup, Littlejohn doesn’t regret her decision to defect from her homeland.

She represented Scotland at the U19 Euro finals in 2008 alongside the likes of Jennifer Beattie but didn’t dwell on her dilemma when watching her former teammates reach the last European Championships and World Cup.

“When I moved to Arsenal, I met Emma Byrne and she was aware I could play for Ireland,” she explains.

“I didn’t know you could switch in women’s football so when that came about, I got my Irish passport, that was me done.

“Look, my life would have been so different if I had gone the other way but, I’m delighted with my choice. I’m a plastic Paddy and proud of it.”