Everything but the Football: Liverpool

WSL Football sat down with Liverpool’s Alice Bergström, Jennifer Falk and Anna Jøsendal for a conversation about everything except the game they play.

Signing to a new club is always a daunting prospect. But to do so half way through the season where relationships in a squad, both on and off pitch, are already cemented, poses its own particular set of challenges. Thankfully, for three of Liverpool’s winter transfer signings, they have each other.

“It's a lot of new things to take in, but it's really exciting,” says Jennifer Falk, who has joined Liverpool on loan from BK Häcken. Alice Bergström has also made the move from the Swedish club to the North West of England, “it's been really fun to experience something new.” Along with Anna Jøsendal, they have worked together to settle into their new city. “It’s really nice here,” says Jøsendal. While so far they’ve mostly spent their time at the Melwood Training Centre, “we also have walked a little bit around the city.” In doing so, the trio have discovered just how friendly Liverpool citizens are. “Everyone has been so welcoming and they have taken us in with open arms,” says Jøsendal, with Falk adding, “if you bump into someone in the supermarket or wherever, everyone is just so friendly.”

It’s one thing to move clubs, countries, and leagues on your own. It’s a whole other mission when you have a young child, which Falk has done. “I'm taking a lot of pictures”, she says of sharing this period of change with her daughter. “I'm hoping she will understand when she gets older.” For right now, Falk isn’t really sure her daughter has quite grasped what’s going on, although, “she was excited to meet Mighty Red!” Clearly, she has her priorities in order. To help keep some routine for the both of them, Falk is keeping up with her favourite television shows from Sweden, and unsurprisingly, “we're going to make meatballs and mashed potatoes, so I'm looking forward to that.”

“I'm from a really small town in Norway,” Jøsendal explains. “The main hobbies are fishing and going to the mountains.” It’s why, whenever she is back in her home country, Jøsendal will go on fishing trips up in the mountains with her immediate family members. “I’ve grown up with that, so I really like fishing,” she shares, adding, “it's fun to think about something else.” At her previous club Hammarby, “I used to fish almost every evening!” It’s a hobby shared by Falk, who is also a fan of ice skating during the winter, “but I do it once or twice a year.” Although many Swedes might ice skate on frozen lakes, Falk sticks to the man-made rinks. “I don’t do it on a lake, I think it would be too scary.”

Away from nature, Jøsendal also relaxes by watching television at home and cooking. “I’ll maybe ask some friends over to make dinner together,” she notes, “that's much better, I think.” As for a favoured cuisine, “fish?”, jokes Falk. “Of course, we’ll go fish first and then eat,” Jøsendal responds in jest.

Falk is particularly partial to playing a board game to take her mind off football, with her current favourite being Catan. Although she says, “it's really hard to explain.” A perhaps more recognisable option she partakes in is Exploding Kittens, which is also appreciated by Bergström, “oh, that's fun.” The pair regularly played the strategic card game with their teammates at BK Häcken. “I think we’ll have to introduce it here,” says Falk.

Their current careers are the leading priorities for all three, although they’ve dabbled in other lines of work over the years. “I studied physiotherapy for a while,” Falk shares. However, she struggled to progress through semesters of study with her footballing schedule getting in the way. She laughs, “I took a break and that break has been 7 years now!” But, she would consider ending that break further down the line, “I thought it was really interesting.” It’s a vocation that Jøsendal is also considering (if she doesn’t become a fisherman first, she jokes). “I thought about physiotherapy as well, because I've been injured a lot,” she says in earnest, believing her experience dealing with injuries first hand would aid her. “I think I want to do that after my career.”

Bergström, however, isn’t interested in planning for her future just yet. In fact, it’s really only ever been football for the 23-year old. Although, she did have a few stints as a barista once upon a time. “It was fun sometimes,” she says, “but I don't think I could do it every day!”