Following a prolonged absence, Jess Ziu is back on the pitch with the girls in green.
An ACL injury saw the West Ham United midfielder ruled out of various international squads for over 17 months. That period included Ireland's historic World Cup and Nations League campaigns.
“I was gutted," said Ziu on watching Ireland from a distance, "I actually think that was the hardest part, watching from the stands because I mean, every player just wants to be there on the pitch with your teammates so, I definitely found that the hardest part."
For Ziu, her teammates and coaching staff were a crucial part of getting through her recovery: "In West Ham and now Ireland too, I've got great staff and players around me that help me along the way.”
Last Friday, Ireland put on a good front, drawing with Italy 0-0 in Florence and even scoring a goal that was later deemed to be offside. Named to start on Friday, it was a special evening for Ziu coming up against elite opposition.
This was, in many respects, a preview of what is to come for the Irish team after being promoted to League A following an undefeated Nations League campaign. With promotion in mind, Ireland's tie against Italy felt that much more significant.
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Jess Ziu on her return to action with the Ireland WNT
🇧🇪 A 5-1 victory for Amber & the @BelRedFlames this evening! 👏
☘️ @jessziu7 and @JessStapleton_ were both in @IrelandFootball's starting XI, with Ziu making a comeback after 17 months sidelined due to injury! pic.twitter.com/7teltszJHd— West Ham United Women (@westhamwomen) February 23, 2024
Speaking to Balls.ie and the Irish media after the draw with Italy, Ziu reflected on what it's like to be back in a green jersey, “I’m not going to lie, it was quite overwhelming. A few nerves building up leading to here because it’s a lot of new staff, a lot of new faces too on the team”.
Even though the 21-year-old has not been on the international stage for quite some time, she previously did have the chance to share the pitch at West Ham with several Irish players including Jessie Stapleton and Izzy Atkinson, something Ziu attributed to making the transition back to the national team a lot easier.
“Luckily I had a few girls that I’m quite close with, Izzy, Larko, they all kind of helped me a lot. Like I said, the staff are so nice, Eilo’s been great with me. It’s been good being back in.
"It also doesn’t feel like I’ve been out for seventeen months and the same at West Ham too. When I come back on to the pitch, hopefully I look like that too, that I’ve not been out for 17 months. It feels great.”
Great to see @jessziu7 back in Green tonight 🌟💚#COYGIG | #OUTBELIEVE pic.twitter.com/oyfrIeql8A
— Ireland Football ⚽️🇮🇪 (@IrelandFootball) February 23, 2024
The anticipation of waiting for an international call-up is a nerve-wracking experience for any footballer and Ziu was no exception.
She spoke about what she felt receiving that very thing from Ireland manager Eileen Gleeson. She said that, even with the emotion of her return to action taken into account, she was ready when she got the call:
“I was ready for it. I’ve been back for three or four months now so yeah, like I said I was just ready for that. We’ve got a great group of girls around us that help me, calm me down. I do think overall I’m just quite a calm player, I kind of just take everything in my stride so yeah, it was great, a bit emotional, but it was really good.”
Ziu will once again have the opportunity to shine if she is included in the lineup for Ireland’s game against Wales at Tallaght Stadium on Tuesday.
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