Hibs’ star Joelle Murray is looking forward to Sunday’s match against rivals Glasgow City which she considers to be the best game in the SWPL.
The standard and profile of the league has risen with the improvement to both Rangers and Celtic who have both gone full-time and Murray is keen to test herself against the best players.
Last week Rangers travelled to the capital and beat Hibs 1-0 in an evenly fought contest with the goal coming from two former Hibs’ players, Lizzie Arnot’s assist and Chelsea Cornet tap-in.
City currently top the SWPL but Hibs travel to Broadwood hoping to restore parity.
Speaking at the pre match press conference Murray said: “ We look forward to these games as a group and a collective unit so for us we want to be playing your Rangers, Glasgow City and Celtic.
“As players you want to challenge yourself against the best players and the best teams and there is no better team to do that against than Glasgow City. There are no better players in the league than Haley Lauder, Joanne Love and Leanne Chrichton so personally I am looking forward to it and the other players are too.
“These games are massive and for me a Hibs v City game in my opinion is the best game currently in the SWPL and I think anyone who says otherwise is being a bit disrespectful to the current squads and the history that has come before.
“There has been a lot of transition but they have recruited very very well so we appreciate the quality that they have in the squad however we have identified and will try to exploit their weaknesses.
“We won’t approach this game any differently than we have approached a City game in the past. We will prepare well and we have done so this week.”
The match will be available to watch on BBC Sport Scotland who are providing a free live stream of the game with worldwide access via their website and Murray encouraged football fans to tune in.
She added: “I would encourage people to tune in. There are so many people I have spoken to that have spoke so highly of the quality of football on the pitch in the women’s game and have been so impressed. These games have been a spectacle in the past and close fought games and Sunday will be the same. There will be competitiveness and aggression so if you haven’t tuned into a woman’s game or a Hibs v City game in the past then Sunday is the time to do so.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
