Quinn Gunn-ing to show what she can do

By Stephen Leonard

LOUISE Quinn is back where she belongs, playing soccer at the highest level.

The former Peamount United team captain was one of a number of professional players left without a job in the wake of the shock folding of Notts County Ladies last month.

Yet Arsenal- the very team the Magpies were due to face just days before their demise- quickly swooped in to secure the services of the Ireland international defender for, at least, a temporary period.

Indeed having been dealt a number of injuries in the early part of their Women’s Super League One Spring Series, the Gunners took the chance to bring Quinn on board.

While introduced for a little over five minutes of their scoreless draw with Sunderland, she played the full game in the Londoners’ dramatic 4-4 draw with Liverpool on Thursday night.

Certainly it has been a whirlwind few weeks for the 26-year-old centre back, who is relieved at how matters have worked out, at least for the time being.

“Arsenal is a great club with fantastic facilities and a great history in women’s football” she told The Echo.

“Some great Irish women players have played for the club. They’ve had Emma Byrne and Ciara Grant and now I’m playing with Katie McCabe.

“They also have some Irish on the backroom staff and that helps you to feel that bit more at home.

“I’m with them until the end of the Spring Series at around the beginning of June.

“If I’m happy with Arsenal and Arsenal are happy with me, then we’ll be chatting again. The door is definitely open” she insisted.

Talking about her first start for the club in their eight-goal thriller against Liverpool, Quinn added “It was a different style, a different tempo. It took a little while to settle because as a backline there needs to be a lot of connections.

“We were losing the game 3-1 and we did well to get something out of it.”

Quinn is delighted to be back concentrating on football especially given that she was faced with the possibility of a spell out of the game following the collapse of Notts County Ladies.

“There were so many things going through my mind then and at times it led me to doubt whether I’d be playing again soon.

“Even my family were thinking I might be coming home for a while until I got sorted.

“It was not the ideal time. Clubs already had their quota [of players] and their budgets.

“There was this period where I was thinking, what do I do? Will I work? Will I study? Women’s football is not as secure as men’s football and I had just lost my job.

“There was still the shock and fear factor that comes with that, but I stilled hoped that I would get back playing as soon as possible.

“Some of my former team mates at Notts have signed with other teams but others have not and so I’m just lucky to be one of the first to get sorted” she stressed.

Having skippered Peamount to National League and Cup success, Quinn made the move to Swedish side  Eskilstuna United back in 2013.

Explaining her decision to leave the Scandinavians last year, she said “I was looking for a new challenge, to try a different style of football.

“I had given all of my energy in Sweden and I had a really great time there. The move was a personal thing to see if I could play somewhere else and also be that bit closer to home.

“I was really looking forward to getting started with Notts. They were a good club in terms of reputation and players and they were a solid team that played in a way that was similar to the way I play.

“Back when I was searching for a club, Arsenal had shown that bit of interest. Pedro [Martinez Losa, the Arsenal Women’s team manager] knows what my qualities are, but the timing wasn’t right when it came to signing.

“But then Arsenal had a couple of injuries and the opportunity came back up. Everything just fell into place.”