Those personal sacrifices enabled Howe to build her career domestically before possibilities overseas started to appear.
After representing Linfield, Glentoran and Sligo Rovers, her impressive scoring form for Athlone Town in the League of Ireland Women’s Premier Division attracted interest from clubs elsewhere.
Having joined Celtic, she now feels she is in the right setting to elevate her performances further.
“As a footballer, you are constantly trying to improve during every training session.
“There has been a significant tactical step forward. We are learning to deal with various playing styles and understand how head coach Grant Scott wants the team to operate, while continuing to sharpen our technical abilities.”
The team’s offensive philosophy is especially attractive to Howe, and the 14-times capped international welcomes the opportunity to show her qualities in attacking areas.
“Our aim is to produce exciting, attack-minded football. As a forward, that is exactly the kind of system you want to play in, where you can push ahead and contribute to a fluid style.
“Players tend to perform at their highest level when they are trusted to move forward, vary their runs, find new spaces and take opponents on with the ball. It suits my preferred way of playing perfectly.”
Howe is convinced that this philosophy allows her to display her strongest qualities.
“Some coaches I have worked with previously used very rigid systems, requiring players to follow predetermined movements. Being trusted to explore different areas and vary your runs creates a more complete team display because everyone remains active.
“That constant movement makes the team harder for opponents to contain and increases your self-belief as a player.
“Knowing that the coaching staff supports and encourages those decisions gives you an additional boost in confidence.”
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