City slicker Weir keeps it real amid talk of move to Spanish capital
AS a child, Caroline Weir dreamt of playing for Real Madrid. Her very first shirt bore the name of Zinedine Zidane and one of her earliest football memories was of the Frenchman volleying the ball into the net at Hampden in the 2002 Champions League final.
Weir too specialises in spectacular goals from distance and, by scoring for Scotland at the national stadium, she has in one sense already emulated Zidane.
But if rumours are to be believed, she may even be in line for a move to the Spanish capital this summer when her contract with Manchester City expires.
She said: ‘I have given it a little bit of thought because obviously when you are running out of contract a few things cross your mind.
‘Nothing has been decided yet. I am fully focused on the next couple of weeks and there is still a lot of important football to be played. There are always lots of rumours but my head is on City and we will see what happens in the summer. Who knows?
‘Real are a massive club but I am happy at City and my focus is on the big games coming up.’
As things stand, City sit fourth in the Women’s Super League, nine points behind Chelsea, the team who have set the standard under their impressive coach Emma Hayes.
Now 26, and with a previous stint at Liverpool under her belt, Weir admits she is at a stage where she wants to maximise her potential.
A move to Spain might be the solution.
She continued: ‘Every season I
have goals set out. I want to win a league title, I want to be competing for a Champions League. Then I have individual goals that I set for myself.
‘I feel I am in a good moment physically. I am not a young player any more. I have a bit of experience behind me and it is about pushing my level and constantly trying to improve.
‘City has been a great platform for me to do that over the last few years and I want to keep pushing on.’
Manchester United would certainly be glad to see the back of her. Twice, in 2020 and 2021, she has been nominated for the prestigious Puskas award for scoring spectacular awards against her city rivals.
It’s not beyond possibility that she’ll make it a third nomination after executing another beautiful dinked finish against the same opponents in February.
If the women’s game in Scotland is still in its adolescence, Weir is a genuine elite performer.
A combination of athleticism and superior technique makes her stand out among her peers and made her an easy choice for the inaugural Glen’s SFWA women’s international player of the year award (below).
With perhaps only the trailblazing Julie Fleeting to look up to growing up, Weir is pleased to accept the award and hopefully light up a pathway for any young girls who might be inspired to try to emulate her journey.
‘I am delighted to receive this award. As a player playing outside Scotland it is nice to get a bit of recognition from people back home, so I am honoured.
‘It is part of growing the game. In England, I am used to us having the PFA awards which are massive with a lot attention on men’s and women’s teams of the year.
‘So to have something similar in Scotland, I think is the right thing. The league in Scotland is growing, big teams are investing more and the quality is getting better.
‘It’s maybe happening slower than in other places if I am completely honest, because down here it feels like the WSL has accelerated a lot and so have other European countries.
‘The league in Scotland is getting better and the national team has qualified for major tournaments in the past five years which definitely helps. There seems to be a shift in attitude to women’s football in Scotland, slowly anyway, and that is a positive thing. Going forward, I think there is definitely more that can still be done.
‘In England, the accessibility of the games in terms of TV rights has really put it on a different level.
‘So maybe broadcasting games more, making them a bit more accessible on mainstream channels for people to watch. That is part of it but I also think the big teams in Scotland need to keep investing, keep growing the game and that starts further down the tree, at grassroots level.’
Weir grew up in Dunfermline and emerged from the Hibs academy before heading south.
She now operates in an environment far removed from what is on offer at home.
‘It’s class,’ she smiles. ‘I would have dreamed about coming into work — you can’t really call it that — and having these facilities around me to play football.
‘I’m very lucky to be at this type of club, the way I’m treated as a female athlete is amazing and we’re continuing to grow.
‘I have had a coffee with Kevin De Bruyne on the 3G pitch which separates the men’s and women’s side at City. He’s great and he’s interested in the women’s team. ‘A lot of them are, they take a genuine interest.
‘Pep (Guardiola) has spoken to a few of us and they’ve watched our training sessions because we’re on the pitch next door.
‘They know exactly what’s going on with us. It’s a one-club mentality which is good to be part of.’
I’m happy in Manchester, my focus is on the big games that are coming up