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After a first ever relegation to tier two, six time women’s top flight winners Cardiff Met are looking to bounce straight back to the Genero Adran Premier, and have kicked off life in the Adran South positively.
Speaking on the Adran Leagues Show, Met captain Olivia Barnes spoke about the impact of Jon Nash, who joined as First Team Head Coach in January.
Nash joined the Club from English side Hereford, alongside Barnes and defender Sian Bull, with the trio having been on the same journey together for several years since their time at Abergavenny.
Barnes told Cymru Sport: “This year there has been a massive change. The new manager (Jon Nash) coming in January at the same time as me, I think giving him that pre-season to bring in and develop players that he feels he wants and to create a system that works for us has been massive.
“The whole atmosphere has changed within the club. It’s really on the up.
“I’ve known Jon for a long time. He’s very direct in what he wants, knows how to create a good atmosphere within the club, he knows how to create that drive in the team.”
Despite dropping into tier two, many members of the squad remained, including star players Barnes, Bull, Anna Houghton, Summer Kilby, Celyn Garton, Molly Chapman, Esme Kilburn-Thompson, Faith Mulenga and Carys Gittins.
It’s been a summer of smart recruitment from Met too. Exciting talents such as Scarlett Davies, Olivia Jones, Demi Parry, Megan Gladwyn, Verity Jones and Gracie Howard have all joined the Club this season, just to name a few.
Players who haven’t played too many senior minutes until this season in their career, but no doubt have the potential to.
“It was a relief to see the number of girls that wanted to stay and fight for the club,” Barnes said.
“It was nice to keep a strong squad. We’ve brought in a lot of young girls that want to try and prove themselves.
“We came into pre-season it was very intense, very physical, very demanding. The girls who came in really stepped up and showed they really want to fight to be in a senior environment.”
A first time in the Genero Adran South for Cardiff Met as a Club, but a league which Liv Barnes knows well.
The midfielder won the division with Abergavenny in 2021/22, and with no playoff played that season with an Adran North side, Abergavenny were promoted to the Adran Premier.
Whilst that is a few years ago now, Barnes is looking to repeat that success with Met and lead a historically successful side to silverware once more, in what she knows is a difficult league to get out of.
With six games played, Met will be top of the tree at Christmas, with 15 points from a possible 18, three above Pure Swansea and Carmarthen Town.
Barnes continued: “It’s a very competitive league. To go into Christmas three points ahead is a huge relief for everyone. It’s not to say the second half of the season is not going to be difficult.
“We’re not entitled; we don’t think we’re going to walk the league or go unbeaten. It’s always a hope to win every game, but I think with the loss (against Llanelli Town) coming in between the two tough cup games we had, I think it was a bit of a mindset shift for our girls.
“Last weekend (3-0 win over Taffs Well) picked us back up and I think everyone has shifted back to that winning mentality again.
“There’s a lot of pressure. You’re taking a lot of pressure on personally as well. I like to perform at the best level I can and drive the team up.
“Having that experience at Abergavenny and winning the league and get promoted, it would be great to share that experience with this new Cardiff Met team.”
Listen to Olivia Barnes’ full interview on the latest Adran League Show, as well as all the latest from women’s football in Wales, available weekly on Cymru Sport.
