Ramona Bachmann is ready for her next challenge
(image via Houston Dash)
Swiss forward Ramona Bachmann has been there and done that. Bachmann has won a trophy at every club she has been at, including some of the biggest in the world, Wolfsburg, Chelsea, and Paris St. Germain. Bachmann says this is one of the biggest priveleges of her storied career. She’s now ready for her next challenge, a return to the United States after signing with the Houston Dash. “I hope I can just bring my experience I had on this highest level for so long, I can bring to the team,” Bachmann said when speaking about her career to this point. “I think I'm one of the oldest if not the oldest. But yeah, I think experience will probably be something that can be very helpful for the team.”
Bachmann, who signed with the Dash from French giants PSG on April 2, will probably be happy to know she actually isn’t the oldest player on her new team. Her experience, however is invaluable. Now at 33 years old, Bachmann is ready for her next journey, a journey back to the United States where she spent one season a decade ago. “The league here in the US has been growing a lot. There's a big hype about it. There's a lot of great players that have been joining the league,” Bachmann said about the NWSL and its continued growth. "As a player playing at the highest level in Europe, she was very intrigued by what the NWSL could offer her.
So, why Houston? “Houston showed great interest in me. They also offered me a three-year contract. Considering I'm 33, there's a lot of clubs I think wouldn't do that, but I don't really know why.” Bachmann said that is something she appreciates, a club believing in her to give her a longer contract. The Swiss international has played in an attacking role her whole career and Bachmann says she had great talks with Dash head coach Fran Alonso. “He wants to play a certain playing style that I think will fit me really, really well.”
Bachmann sees Alonso’s system as a great fit for her style of play, an all-out attack at times, that can keep the pedal to the floor. She trained with her new teammates today, for the first time, and said she feels right at home. “I think I'm fitting in well, especially with how he (Alonso) wants to play,” Bachmann said. She said she loves to play as a 10 and that is somewhere Alonso will probably play her. With the number of attackers on this Dash roster, Bachmann could play as a 10 but she is open to getting into the lineup anywhere. “I'm open to play anywhere offensive, I can play all the positions.”
The integration into the team may not be as difficult for Bachmann with the help of an old friend. Bachmann played with Dash midfielder Elin Rubensson at BK Hacken in Sweden in 2014. Bachmann said she has been in contact with Rubensson as she made the move to Houston. “Since we played together, that's always nice to reconnect with a former teammate and we obviously know each other,” Bachmann said about her relationship with Rubensson. “The connection is already there, and yeah, I'm looking forward to to getting on the pitch with all of them.”
Bachmann got on the pitch with them today, her first training with the Dash. “It was really nice, they were all very welcoming to me, even the staff. I felt home right away.” Bachmann has been waiting a while to get into training, dealing with all that comes with an international transfer, but she’s done with that and ready to meet her new teammates. She said she knows some of the players on the Dash already and there is a lof of talent. “We'll take time getting to play,” she said about coming together as a team. “How the coach wants us to play, I guess because it is a little bit different than probably most of the girls have been used to, but it's it's a procress and we will get there for sure.”
For someone that has won in leagues around the world, Bachmann’s goals for herself are high. “Performing at my highest level as soon as possible,” Bachmann said when asked about her personal goals, “getting the connections with all the girls. We want to go to the playoffs for sure and then hopefully playing for a trophy.”
Bachmann is the latest of a number of players leaving European leagues to join the NWSL. “Yeah, there's definitely a lot of talk going on and people are seeing it,” Bachmann said about how Europeans view the American league now. “They're feeling it, that there's there's a lot of progress going on that is very interesting.” Bachmann said the NWSL is more physical and transitional than Europe, something that intrigues her.
Now that she’s here in Houston, Bachmann said the one thing she has noticed is how nice the people are here. “It's quite warm,” she said about the weather. “I heard it's gonna get really hot.” At least she’s ready! Bachmann is more than ready because she has her wife here in Houston with her and two other important people to her, their dogs. “Yes, that was really important for us for sure to make sure that we can bring them, they they're a big part in our lives. We spend a lot of time with them when I'm not playing.” Bachmann said she has heard a lot of her Dash teammates have dogs and she was surprised how many people in Houston love dogs. “Wherever we go with the dogs, we get stopped and people talk to us and want to cuddle the dogs. So, this is a bit different to other countries I've been in.” Houston, a confirmed dog lovers paradise.
Bachmann is also excited about being in a big city because she loves to explore. “I've heard the food is amazing,” she said about what she is looking forward to about Houston. “I'm a food lover, so I'm going to try lots of different restaurants.” She also said she is a big sports fan and can’t wait to go see the other Houston teams play. “I want to see all these games. I love basketball. I love American football. So, I'm definitely going to going to watch those games.”
Having played around the world in her career, Bachmann says she speaks three and a half languages. She counts German and Swiss as one because they are so similar, Swedish, and English are the three. The half? “French. Not as good yet, my wife is not happy yet, but I'm going to get it,” she joked.
Bachmann will be counted on to help turn this Dash club around with Alonso and the other players GM Alex Singer has brought in. If she can still play at her high level that she has showed this year with the Swiss national team, the Dash offense can be even more dynamic. “I'm really, really excited to be here,” Bachmann said as her message to the Houston fans. “I'm very excited to make my debut, especially the home debut is going to be special in front of all the fans. So I'm looking forward to playing here, to play in front of the fans, and hopefully manage to have a good team performance and get a win.”
