Aberdeen Women co-manager Emma Hunter insists the club has a lot to offer their young players and things can only get better with continued investment.
Last week Jenna Penman, one of Aberdeen’s most promising talents, left the club to sign for SWPL 1 rivals Hibernian.
A move away was first discussed at the end of last season when she left school and sought pastures new, but Penman stayed with the Dons for the first half of the season and made 11 appearances in all competitions.
Her move to Hibernian finally came to fruition as the 18-year-old defender plans to pursue a university education in Edinburgh later this year.
And while co-boss Hunter is sad to lose such a talent, she isn’t surprised by the outside interest in her young players and believes it’s a good reflection of how strong her squad is.
“Obviously we want to keep the players at Aberdeen, but it’s a testament to the players we’ve got here that teams in the top four are after them,” Hunter said.
“It shows the potential of our young players so I’m taking a lot of positives from that as well.
“It’s good to see clubs are hungry to sign our players because of how good they are.
“It’s sad to see Jenna go, but we’ve still got the core of our team and we probably kept her six months longer because of the club that we are.
“We’re strong in our values, we’ve got a good environment and it’s a great club. We’re all in it together.”
‘The women’s team will continue to grow’
And, while a move to a top-four side might appeal to young players, there comes a risk of not being given the same opportunities that one might get at Aberdeen.
Hunter believes, as the Dons try to establish themselves as a threat in SWPL 1, it will mean more investment in the club – which can only help the development of young talent.
She said: “Developing young players is something I’m so passionate about and when you’re at Aberdeen you’ll get game time and be pushed to play.
“Whereas sometimes if you go to the bigger clubs you might struggle to get into the starting XI.
“It’s got to be the right time for the young players and making sure we’re doing what’s best for that young person at that moment.
“Eyes are always going to be attracted to our players, but I think we’ve got enough to offer them at the club and, with their continued investment, it’s a really good place to develop.
“We’ve always been a club and a team that want to work hard and make sure we do a good job in SWPL 1 and hopefully we’ll see more investment from the club, and they’ve never shied away from that.
“Their investment in the women’s team will continue to grow and I think we’re in a good place.
“Aberdeen has tonnes to offer and I’m really excited about the future.”