Football: It's all Rosie now after tough start

Rosie White enjoyed her first season at Liverpool. Photo / Photosport.

It's an autumn morning in Liverpool and Rosie White could be mistaken for any Kiwi traveller in England.

She's found the one cafe in the city she says does "decent coffee", has some New Zealand-branded clothing and is even wearing jandals.

But White is here to play football, one of a growing number of Kiwi women at overseas clubs.

After a spell in the American college system, this is her first professional stint. And
it's been a harsh introduction to life as a full-time footballer.

"The first game I came on, I got sworn at and then smashed," laughs White. "I thought, 'what the hell is going on? What the hell did you say to me?' But you get used to it."

Women's football in England, like the men's game, is one of the more physical leagues in the world.

"That was probably the biggest difference. I wasn't used to that level of physicality but you learn to look after yourself pretty quickly. Anyway, it's been good for my game. It's also a technical and tactical league, unlike football in the States, which is mainly based around athleticism."

The 22-year-old, who has made more than 70 appearances for the Football Ferns, recently completed her first season with Liverpool in the FA Women's Super League in England.

It's one of the world's best, probably behind only the competitions in Germany, Sweden and the United States.

White arrived halfway through the season but Liverpool, who had won the title the previous two years, were already struggling, hit by injuries to key players.

They finished eighth in the nine-team league.

"Results were a bit up and down but I enjoyed it," says White, who has team-mates from Norway, Iceland, Nigeria and the US.

"I've played 90 minutes almost every week, against good opposition and in plenty of different positions."

Off the field, she's having a ball. She has been pleasantly surprised by the cosmopolitan nature of Liverpool and enjoys exploring the city.

Understanding the local Scouse accent has been an ongoing issue.

"On my first day, I got into a taxi and didn't think the driver was speaking English. I wondered, 'what have I got myself into?' But they can't really understand me, either."

And there have been some surreal experiences.

One was playing at Manchester City, with their ground part of the huge facility next to Etihad Stadium - "we finished the game and about five seconds later, they had 10 guys out with lawnmowers" - and another was attending the Everton-Manchester City match at Goodison Park, where former Liverpool player Raheem Sterling was booed every time he touched the ball "like he had betrayed the city, not just Liverpool FC".

She has met Daniel Sturridge and others from the men's first team at club functions but they exist in a different stratosphere.

"Sturridge was great, very friendly," said White. "But they have their Mercedes Benzs, their undies folded for them, so many demands on them ... it's a different world."

The jandals were because of blisters, not an enduring touch of Kiwiana, but she might have needed them this week with the Ferns taking on Brazil in three matches.

The first is on this morning at 6.30am.

"It should be an amazing experience. Like England, it's a home of football and they love the sport there."