Fanndís Fridriksdóttir revealed she did not know what to expect when coming to Australia to sign with Adelaide United for the Westfield W-League 2018/19 season.
However, the Iceland native is glad she made the decision to come Down Under after speaking with compatriot Gunnhildur Jónsdóttir, simply known as ‘Gunny’.
The 28-year-old is vastly experienced, representing her country on 97 occasions scoring 15 goals, which includes appearances at the UEFA Women’s Euro tournaments in 2009 and 2017.
Fridriksdóttir admitted she was influenced by her international teammate, Gunny, following her commitment to the Club, in addition to speaking with Head Coach, Ivan Karlović.
“Gunny asked me if I wanted to join her here,” she revealed.
“And it was an easy yes from me.
“Because in Iceland it’s the off season, so it was perfect timing.”
Fridriksdóttir is no stranger to playing abroad following spells in Norway as well as plying her trade with French giants Olympique Marseille during the 2017/18 campaign.
However, it is the first time playing on another continent and on the other side of the world.
While agreeing to join the Reds, she admitted there were naturally a few initial reservations.
“I just went here not knowing what I was going into,” she explained.
“But Gunny told me a lot of things so I kind of listened to Gunny and what she said and she sold it to me.”
As one of the more senior players in the side, Fridriksdóttir said she had discussions with Karlović about helping the younger members in the squad.
However, the left winger conceded she prefers to lead by example on the pitch due to her more reserved personality.
“Ivan talked to me about it because we’re the older players here and have that experience,” she stated.
“But I’m more of a player that leads by example.
I like to do it on the field because I’m not much of a talker and hopefully they see how I do it on the field then they want to follow.”
And she is the perfect player to emulate having scored at a prolific rate throughout her career as a forward. At Icelandic club Breidablik across all competitions Fridriksdóttir bagged 104 goals in 197 games.
She described the type of player she is and hoped to contribute in the team’s success this season.
“I’m direct and always want to get the ball at my feet,” she said.
“And I want to create something for me and all the players around me.”
Adelaide United host Canberra United in Round 4 of the Westfield W-League 2018/19 season on Thursday, 22 November at Coopers Stadium. Kick-off is at 7.00pm ACDT. Gates open at 6.00pm. Enter via Holden Street.
