Vaudin glad to be back in island fold

ROCHELLE VAUDIN is back in the green of Guernsey tonight. The island's best player had signed for Nationwide Women's Premier League team Bristol Academy, who are linked with Bristol Rovers. But when the move did not work out for the 19-year-old, she quickly returned back to her roots.

And the central midfielder will be turning out for Guernsey in their South and West Counties Championship match with Gloucestershire this evening.

'It was horrible, it was not professionally run at all,' said Vaudin.

'It wasn't for me. The only reason for me to stay would be so that I could say that I played for Bristol Rovers, but I'd rather play for Sylvans and Guernsey and enjoy my football.'

The main gripe for Vaudin was that the house she shared with a couple of her new team-mates was in Bath, while the team trained twice a week in Bristol. It would take her a total of four hours of travelling to get there and back.

In her week-and-a-half with the club she did turn out for them in their 3-0 cup victory away at Newcastle. Vaudin was on the pitch for 70 minutes.

But the Guernsey star is now concentrating on facing Gloucestershire. The match also marks Ian Champion's first game in charge of the island side.

'I can't wait to get back and we've now got a new coach,' she said.

'We're pleased that someone has come in. I've had one coaching session with him and it seems that he's into it as well.'

Champion is sorry things did not work out for Vaudin but is glad to be able to pick her for tonight.

'Obviously there'll be a lot of people disappointed that it didn't come off but I'm delighted to have her back,' he said.

'But we've all got to remember is that she's a young and we can't place the world on her shoulders and as Rochelle knows, it doesn't take one person to make a team. What I want to do is take some of that pressure off her.'

Champion took over after Steve Ogier stepped down following the Rhodes Island Games in July.

'I'm really looking forward to it,' said Champion about his first match in charge.

'I've been in the job for three weeks and I've had three training sessions and I can see the huge amount of work Steve has done with the girls. I'll just try and take that forward.'

The former St Martin's and Rovers Priaulx coach has been out of the game for a few years but recently he has helping Sark in their FA Cup campaign.

They face Business League side outfit Collins Stewart in the first round at the end of this month. Champion says he has watched every women's league match this season since his appointment. He has come into the job with no preconceptions.

'It's a clean sweep and it's given everybody a fresh opportunity because I don't know any of them,' he said.

The bulk of the squad is made up of players who performed so admirably in Rhodes. The new debutants are Vale Rec keeper Rebecca Harvey and promising juniors Candice Simon and Dani Gervaise-Brazier.

'They are young but they are really capable players,' said Champion about Simon and Gervaise-Brazier.

'I've got no hesitations about bringing them in. They are the future of the squad.'

Someone who is not in the squad is Bels' Katie Robert who is getting married today. Champion is indebted to her that she has allowed a number of squad who will be at the service, including Vaudin, who is a bridesmaid, to play.

'I'm missing her but if she hadn't allowed some of them to play - I wouldn't have had a squad,' he said.

'I wish her and her husband all the best.'

Champion admits that he's a bit in the dark about Gloucestershire.

'I've got no idea about them so we'll concentrate on us and make sure that we're ready,' he said.

The match kicks off at 7.45pm at Blanche Pierre Lane.

Beforehand, the Guernsey under-16 team take on their Gloucestershire counterparts at 4.30pm on the same ground.

The only change from the squad that drew 2-2 with Dorset last Sunday is Matt Ceresa, who is suspended.