Waking up in a plush hotel bed in Zurich as FIFA’s champagne bubbles go flat. ‘Now what?’
Stephanie Roche became Irish women’s football first global star, last year, the moment her stunning volley against Wexford hit the back of the net.
Her Puskás Award-nominated goal, for Peamount United, was edged out by Real Madrid’s James Rodriguez last night but her exposure to the FIFA circus will, no doubt, boost her career prospects.
Well it's here!! The final countdown everyone 😁😁 voting is still open http://t.co/rQRrsNb4XR now to get the gúna on!💃 pic.twitter.com/O4VPENhmIo
— Stephanie Zambra (@StephanieRoche9) January 12, 2015
Roche’s immediate concern will be to catch a flight to Spain, later today. She will link up with her Irish teammates for the final two days of a warm weather training camp before a January 15 match against Norway.
Once that game is over, the 25-year-old will turn her focus to securing a move to one of Europe’s premier sides. Roche signed for French club Albi last year but is set to move on to greener pastures. Albi coach David Welferinger revealed, last week, that Roche would be leaving. ‘We’re not going to hold her back,’ he commented before wishing the Irishwoman well.
According to AFP, Roche was earning a monthly wage of €800 at Albi. The club would have covered her travel expenses and accommodation but €200 a week will just about keep you in baguettes, Evian and put coal on your grate. Roche was pictured with Brazilian striker, Marta, last night. Marta plays with Swedish side FC Rosengård and, between club and country contracts, earns a reported €340,000 a year.
Because of her undoubted talent, and high profile in South America, Marta is streets ahead of her footballing rivals when it comes to wages. The next closest is the USA’s Abby Wambach (€160k at Western New York Flash). Next on the list are Wambach’s international colleagues, Alex Morgan (€60k) and Heather O’Reilly (€55k).
Wages in the Women’s Soccer League, in England, as less bombastic. Central contracts for leading English internationals are €25,000 a year. The FA were slammed, in 2013, for offering €22,500 – soon after the team’s decent run at the London Olympics. England, as a squad, refused to sign the contracts and the FA dipped a little deeper into their coffers.
As recently as last year, England defender Casey Stoney supplemented her Lincoln City wage with two part-time jobs. This took her annual salary up to €30,500, a figure, as noted by The Telegraph, Stoney’s male counterparts earned in a day. Stoney secured a move to Arsenal Ladies in 2014 and now earns the same amount, without the added jobs.
Three of Sue Ronan’s current Irish squad, at the training camp, are in the WSL. The majority play in the Women’s National League but there is a talent spread across other European clubs, such as Ruesha Littlejohn (Norway), Denis O’Sullivan (Scotland) and Louise Quinn (Sweden).
The WSL, which begins in March, looks set to be Roche’s most likely destination. The striker has remained tight-lipped on transfer speculation but a new club will be announced by the month’s end. Wherever Roche ends up, her days of earning €200-a-week are over.
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