Arsenal Ladies First Summer Signing

Arsenal Ladies First Summer Signing

Atikah dengan senang hatinya mahu mengucapkan selamat datang ataupun sebenarnya selama kembali kepada penyerang baru Arsenal Ellen White yang pulang semula ke Arsenal selepas 5 tahun berkelana ke Chelsea dan juga Leeds Carniege.. White sebenarnya merupakan bekas pelajar akademi Arsenal Ladies sebelum membuat keputusan meninggalkan pasukan untuk aksi kesebelasan utama..

White yang baru berusia 16 tahun sewaktu itu jelas sekali tidak berpeluang untuk menembusi gandingan Kelly Smith dan juga Julie Fleeting.. Jadi White mengakui dengan berat hatinya dia terpaksa melangkah keluar untuk aksi kesebelasan utama.. Penyerang berusia 21 tahun ini diambil semula Arsenal daripada Leeds selepas Leeds membuat keputusan menarik diri daripada Women Super's League musim depan..

White menjaringkan 23 gol dalam 31 perlawanan sepanjang musim 2009/2010 di kesemua kejohanan dan dua golnya musim lepas menyaksikan Leeds merangkul kejuaraan Piala Liga buat pertama kalinya dalam sejarah kelab Leeds.. Vic Akers yang menguruskan pasukan semasa bakat White dikenal pasti sejak usianya 8 tahun lagi mengakui dia percaya suatu hari nanti White akan kembali ke Arsenal Ladies dan hari tersebut berlaku pada 13 Julai 2010..

"She was here as a baby and she came through the Centre of Excellence but then at 16 she went to Loughborough with the England set-up and then really wanted first-team football, which we couldn't offer at the time.. We had Kelly Smith and Julie Fleeting up front at the time, so it was tough for the young ones to break in at that point.. She decided to have a couple of years away and play at other clubs and hence went to Chelsea and then on to Leeds.."

"With the break up at Leeds and their main players leaving to play in next year's Super League, it was appropriate [for her to return].. She has always had the door open for her here anyway.. We are hoping that she will figure greatly in a successful year and she'll make a good pairing with Fleeting and those coming through.. We are looking sharp and bright up front.."

Namun menurut Akers lagi ini bukanlah pemain terbaru terakhir yang akan ditandatangani skuad Arsenal Ladies.. Walaupun Laura Harvey telah disahkan akan terus membimbing pasukan Arsenal Ladies pada kempen musim baru ini.. Akers yang merupakan pengurus Arsenal Ladies masih merupakan orang yang memilih pemain baru yang akan ditambah ke dalam pasukan..

Akers telah mengesahkan ada 3 pemain baru akan memasuki skuad Arsenal Ladies termasuk Ellen White.. Menurut Vic Akers mereka sedang mencari seorang pemain serba boleh dan seorang pemain tengah mungkin untuk mengisi kekosongan yang ditinggalkan Katie Chapman pada bulan Mac yang lalu..

Ini pula reaksi Ellen White selepas sah kembali ke Arsenal Ladies.. White akan menyarung jersi bernombor 9 Arsenal Ladies untuk kempen musim depan yang akan di mulakan dengan kempen Women's Champions League..

"It's like I'm coming back home.. I was here when I was eight until I was 16. It was a really hard decision to leave because I'd been here for eight years and had grown up with the whole team and with Arsenal.. So it was a big decision to move but I think it did pay off.. Obviously I'm back home now and this is the only club I wanted to come back to after Leeds broke up, so I'm delighted.."

"The Champions League is a massive deal for me.. I wanted to win things and move to a club where we have the prospect of winning things.. I won the League Cup with Leeds and I want more.. I want to win more things and with Arsenal we have a great set-up, a great team and playing in the Champions League will be unbelievable.."

"Playing in Europe, against the biggest teams around is a massive factor for me.. I really want to prove myself on that scale, so it's exciting.. We've got great attacking players, a great overall squad and I hope to add a different dimension.. I love running behind and pressing the backline, making defenders a bit worried.. I'll work my socks off and add that new dimension to the squad as well.. I'm hard-working so hopefully that will aid everyone.. I'm really, really excited and hopefully this will be a big year for me.."

Atikah sekali lagi ucapkan selamat datang kepada Ellen White.. Atikah harap White mampu membantu pasukan Arsenal Ladies mempertahankan kejuaraan liga dan kejuaraan domestik disamping membawa pulang semula kejohanan Eropah yang kali terakhir di menangi pada tahun 2007 yang lalu.. Adios!!