Eva Olid has praised the amazing evolution of Hearts Women after penning a tw-year contract extension that will keep her at the club until the summer of 2025.
Olid arrived at the club in July 2021 and after an initial consolidation season, the Jambos showed real progression last season, culminating in a record breaking fourth place finish in SWPL1.
It has been a busy transfer window for Hearts with eight new arrivals and Olid becomes the latest to pledge her future to the club by signing a contract extension.
“I am so happy,” she told Hearts TV.
“I think everybody knows how happy I am here.
“The first month was not easy. For me, it was a new country a new team and I came over on my own. We had such a young team, so we had to start from the beginning, but the evolution has been amazing, and you can see that it all made sense for me to come here and take the job.
“I came over without knowing what to expect. I was just focussing on trying to improve the team, because the team was not in a good position when I came. It was a challenge for me, but I like a challenge.”
In a season of many highs, Hearts lifted the Capital Cup in front of a record crowd at Tynecastle and also took points off Rangers for the first time in the club’s history.
Olid believes the blend of youth and experience last season was integral to Hearts’ success.
“I think that mix of youth and experience was key," she said. "The good atmosphere that we had in the changing room, as well as all the hard work from players and staff.
“This season, those young players are not as young as they were in my first season. I am so excited with the players that have been here for three years, two years and all the new players. I think this season will be a good season.”
Women’s football is on an upward trajectory and Olid is hopeful that other teams in Scotland will receive the backing required by their respective clubs to grow their team and ultimately make the SWPL a more attractive and competitive division.
“I support women’s football all over the world,” she continued. “I want to see that growth. I am helping in Scotland to grow women’s football and I hope other teams can grow like we are doing as that is the objective of the league, to be so competitive.
“As for Hearts, I have no complaints about the club. They have supported us with everything, we feel so important and that is so difficult to see in women’s football.”
Hearts have had a productive summer window with eight new signings through the door and Olid believes the positive style of football the Jambos try to play is a big attraction for players.
“When we have the meetings with potential new players. I try to explain the way we want to play and the way we want to play is so attractive. When you tell them we want to play with the ball, that attracts good players and that is so positive for us.”
“Of course, we want to now improve from last season. I don’t want to say where we are going to finish as so much can happen in a positive way or in a difficult way, but I am sure we will work so hard.”
