We spoke to both Fran Alonso and Jodie Bartle earlier in the week at the SWPL Media Conference ahead of Sunday’s SWPL Cup semi-final between Celtic and Hibs at Forthbank Stadium in Stirling (kick-off 4.30pm).
And Jodie Bartle was clear her assessment of the importance of this match to herself and her teammates. “A chance to win a bit of silverware means everything. You play to win leagues, you play to win trophies, you play to win games so it would mean an awful lot.
“I think we controlled that last game against Hibs mostly, but they quite clearly love a cup. I don’t quite understand how there’s such a different feeling when there’s a cup game compared to a league game, but some teams revel in a cup.
“It was very close the last time we played them. We’ll just have to wait and see but we’re confident, we’ve got to be.”
Jodie admits that the squad were disappointed to lose out to theRangers last weekend in the league match after having knocked them out of the cup at the quarter final stage the previous Sunday.
“We move on , we go again, we’ve got this Sunday to look at and we haven’t got time to dwell on things like that,” the Celtic defender said. “We’ll meet them again and we can look forward to it then.
“We’re a team unit. We haven’t been to a final, and the club hasn’t been to a final in a while so I think it would mean a lot to us as a group of players.
“We want to do it for our manager because he puts so much belief in us all the time. He always speaks so highly of us, so we’d love to do it for him and for ourselves, the club and for the fans as well.”
Why not get along and support the Hoops Ghirls on Sunday afternoon?
🗣️ “You play to win leagues, you play to win trophies, you play to win games”
🏆 Semi-final talk with @Bartle_5 ahead of #CELHIB
🏟️ Forthbank Stadium – 4:30pm KO
🎟️ Tickets are £5 for adults and £2 concessions#CelticFC 🍀 #SWPLCUP pic.twitter.com/zZwLiQ5GiS— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) November 12, 2021
Colette Carr from the official CelticFC Women website outlines five reasons why you should head along to Forthbank Stadium in Stirling on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 4.30pm) to cheer on the Hoops in the SWPL Cup semi-final against Hibs….
Colette Carr’s Five Reasons to Support Celts This Sunday in the Semi-Final…
Celtic take to the Forthbank Stadium in Stirling this Sunday where they’ll battle it out with SWPL Cup holders Hibs for a place in the Firhill final next month – so here’s five reasons why you should get along and roar the Ghirls on in the first semi-final of the season…
1. Bounceback kids
Celtic haven’t often suffered defeat during Fran Alonso’s tenure, but when they do, they are a proposition not to be taken lightly. A 25-game unbeaten domestic run came to an end last weekend but as history shows, the Celts have a knack of responding to defeat well.
After a frustrating opening day loss in the 20/21 season to Glasgow City, the Hoops ruthlessly took their frustrations out on Hearts the following week winning 10-0, and after a disappointing return to action after the league lockdown came with a 3-0 loss to the eventual champions, Celtic went on a 13-match unbeaten run only dropping a further two points to secure Champions League football.
While Hibs pose a difficult threat to Celtic’s cup ambitions this season and Alonso’s side know the challenge they face, the Hoops are gunning to put last weekend’s defeat behind them and get back to winning ways.
2. Taking on the cup titans
Hibs have dominated the League Cup competition having held onto the trophy since 2016. The four-in-a-row holders will be keen to find themselves in the final and attempt to maintain their stranglehold over it at the first time of asking since it’s reintroduction into the calendar post-COVID suspensions.
Both sides have already met this season in a tight affair where Charlie Wellings proved the difference when she knocked in an injury time winner at the Penny Cars, setting up an enticing encounter in the second semi-final.
3. Normal life restored
The absence of the cup competitions last season meant it was all to play for in the league, but having the opportunity to get your hands on silverware before the festive season gets underway has given a new lease of life to clubs across Scotland.
Cup competitions are part of the fabric of football and offer more routes to success, and after last season, every cup game is an opportunity to be appreciated now and grasped with both hands.
4. First of two Celtic semi-finals this month
It’s the first of two Celtic semi-finals this month with the Bhoys heading to Hampden to take on the men’s League Cup holders St Johnstone, so get behind both squads in a big month for the club and back both sides as they aim to make two out of two finals.
5. Semi-final football for a fiver or less
Tickets are priced at just £5 for adults and £2 for concessions, so it’s the perfect opportunity to get the whole family along to semi-final football and support the Celts. Tickets can be bought at the gate.
Did you know @CelticFC are in 2⃣ League Cup semi-finals this month? 😍
Before Hampden with the Bhoys in the #PremierSportsCup, get along to the Forthbank Stadium for the Ghirls this Sunday!
Tickets just £5 for adults and £2 concessions, kick-off 4:30pm!🍀#CELHIB 🏆 #SWPLCup pic.twitter.com/vpNZmNJtvJ
— Celtic FC Women (@CelticFCWomen) November 9, 2021
Celtic FC Women play Hibernian in the semi-final of the SWPL Cup this Sunday, 14 November, at Forthbank Stadium (KO: 4.30pm)
The first semi-final will take place at the stadium in Stirling at 12noon – Glasgow City vs Spartans. Your entrance fee covers both matches so you can make a real day of it, or just arrive around 4pm to support Celtic.
Tickets are £5 for adults, £2 for children/concessions. The matches will be streamed live on Scottish Women’s Football’s YouTube channel.
Tomorrow it’s back again. The @90MinuteCynic Celtic Women’s Football Show talking all things @SWPL Cup Semi final pic.twitter.com/e7tXKRppav
— Cynic Women (@CynicWomen) November 12, 2021
