MEGAN CONNOLLY joined Lazio for more than a Roman Holiday — and she believes what she has learnt on the pitch can also benefit Ireland.
Connolly moved to the Serie A giants last summer and recently signed a new two-year deal as she puts down roots in the Italian capital.
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Republic of Ireland’s Megan Connolly at their team hotel in Istanbul ahead of their UEFA Women’s Nations League League B match against Türkiye on Friday
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Connolly switched UK shores for those of Italy with a move to Lazio
The culture, naturally, appealed and she has done plenty of sightseeing. She revealed “When I go into the centre there’s so many food places, even places you wouldn’t think are restaurants.
Then you go into the back of them and it’s a proper cultural experience.
“In the first few months it was more so a case of trying to survive and adapt and get the football stuff.
“Once things on the pitch were going well and I was settled in, I went out a bit more to experience the culture.
“It’s been quite nice, such a beautiful place and city.
“You can turn any corner walking through the city and find a new landmark that you didn’t even know.
“The language is quite difficult. That was never my forte in school, so it’s quite difficult.
“Being there for the next two years, it will be nice to get out and experience new cultures and restaurants. It’s been fantastic and not the worst place to live.”
But while the backdrop is pleasant, Connolly’s decision to go to Serie
A was all about how she thought it could develop her as a player.
The 28-year-old said: “Last summer was quite a difficult window to be in. Everyone left it quite late, a lot of clubs left it until July to really start doing things.
“For me, I had one or two conversations early on in the window but I waited it out a bit.
“It’s one of those things, once you make that kind of decision, you have to trust the process and trust your decision.
“At that point of my career, there were certain things that I value quite a lot. I’d been at Brighton, and at Bristol City, where I was captain.
“I had some great relationships and great experiences and I knew what I wanted.
“I knew the next move, I wanted to go somewhere where I could develop my football, and also have that feeling of being a key player.
“I waited for a bit and Lazio came in. As soon as I heard the first phone call, I knew straight away.
“It’s hard to put into words the feeling but it was exactly what I was waiting for the whole time — that feeling of a club whose ambitions, their style of play, how they want to play, the manager valued me, how they saw me.
“As soon as I received that call, I felt like the waiting was worth it and this was the move.
“Looking back on it now, it panned out how I had hoped for. The waiting paid off.”
ITALIAN JOB
Lazio’s season was a mixed bag as a slow start meant they were in the bottom half when the league split for the run-in, though they did finish top of their group by the end.
And Connolly — who has played the entire season at centre-half, having regularly played in midfield for Ireland — believes it can all stand to her now for the Girls in Green.
She missed last month’s wins over Greece but played in both of Carla Ward’s opening two games — the 1-0 win over Turkey and 4-0 loss to Slovenia.
And as Ireland prepare to face Turkey again tomorrow before a home clash with Slovenia, Connolly insists the team have moved on from February’s hammering in Koper.
The Cork native added: “I think we’re over it. I think it’s definitely something we’ll learn from, we already have tried to learn from it.
“That’s what can happen when you’re not on your game, you can get beaten by teams.
“And it was a wake-up call that while we’re trying to implement new things, change our style and grow, these things can happen.
“We have to make sure they don’t happen again.”