The English time period “scouse” comes from the Swedish phrase lobscouse, a kind of stew.
Liverpudlian locals who ate the stew grew to become often known as “scousers”, which was even a shock to most of the Scandinavian gamers at Women’s Super League aspect Everton.
“Does it?!” says Danish ahead Rikke Madsen when knowledgeable by BBC Sport of this trivia. “Well, it is virtually like house.”
Local etymology apart, the Scandinavian affect on Everton has grown massively in recent times. The WSL aspect presently have eight senior gamers from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, excess of every other aspect within the league – plus a Danish coach in Brian Sorensen.
While Scandinavia has an enormous affect on the historical past of ladies’s soccer – Norway had been World Cup winners in 1995 – within the fashionable period, the area’s affect has been outdated by the United States and different European powers.
But at Everton, the Nordic affect is closely felt, significantly since Sorensen’s arrival as supervisor in April 2022. According to Elise Stenevik, their Norwegian defender, this suits due to similarities between the WSL and Scandinavian soccer.
“There is a unique tradition in England and Scandinavia, in Scandinavia it’s extra like a collective tradition whereas in England it’s extra individualistic,” Stenevik tells BBC Sport. “Players coming in from Scandi, they prioritise the crew first.
“I’ve performed in Norway and Sweden: in Norway it is very bodily, the approach and pace shouldn’t be pretty much as good. In Sweden there’s approach and pace. If you mix that, you get the WSL.
“I felt extra at house right here the second I got here, than after I moved from Norway to Sweden.”
Swedish midfielder Hanna Bennison provides: “In our crew it is usually simpler as a result of now we have a Scandi coach. So we are extra used to how he needs to play. Every coach has completely different model, however it’s much like what we are used to.”
‘I felt I knew you since you had been Danish’
That shared heritage – throughout language and tradition, in addition to soccer – is much more vital in permitting gamers to settle off the pitch.
It is one thing Madsen is aware of significantly, having only arrived in January on loan from American club North Carolina Courage.
“It has been very easy, and it is as a result of there are so many Scandinavian ladies right here,” she says of settling into a brand new crew and metropolis after arriving halfway by means of a season.
“Obviously I did not know them [before], however you are feeling like you’ve got some sort of connection. I can truly converse Danish to them, they usually can form of perceive what I’m saying.
“It has been a really secure atmosphere to return into. That simply makes the whole lot simpler when you want to settle in quick in the course of the season.
“It’s been very nice, but additionally all the opposite ladies have been actually welcoming, not simply the Scandis.
“Right now I’m nonetheless staying in a resort in Liverpool, so it does not actually really feel like I’m utterly settled but. But I stay shut to 2 of the opposite Danish ladies right here, so now we have been going out for… properly I do not drink espresso however they do, so I’ve been taking a look at them consuming espresso.
“It’s simply good. Like the primary evening I used to be on the resort, Sara [Holmgaard, her team-mate] was texting me saying ‘that is the place we are’, and it was like three minutes away, and I simply felt, ‘OK, now I can loosen up’, as a result of I do know they are shut.”
Stenevik provides: “When you got here in I felt like I knew you since you are Danish. You have a tradition much like my one at house in Norway.”
‘What are they speaking about?’
Creating a welcoming atmosphere for the Scandi inflow began with Bennison, who was signed by Everton in 2021, the identical summer season as two different Swedish gamers, Anna Anvegard and Nathalie Bjorn.
“I arrived with two Swedish ladies, which was very good for me, nevertheless it was troublesome to get into the remainder of the crew as a result of there have been lots of people from numerous international locations and never so many Scandis,” says Bennison.
“Everyone has at all times been good, however now it actually feels like now we have a pleasant crew feeling.
“I helped one Danish participant [Karen Holmgaard], who lived with me when she first joined. Otherwise I simply attempt to speak to them. I’m not that a lot of a ahead individual, I’m fairly shy…”
“You had been actually good with Karen,” chimes in Stenevik. “You’ve been actually type.”
While this group has helped gamers settle at Everton, Stenevik and the others acknowledge that they need to not turn out to be a clique away from the remainder of the squad – particularly on the subject of language.
“If we sit down for lunch we converse English, regardless of what number of Scandis are on the desk,” says Bennison. “But if we are simply us collectively we converse Danish or Swedish.”
“That’s one thing we have to work on as Scandis,” provides Stenevik. “Like if I’m sitting and Benni is subsequent to me, I’d say one thing in Swedish as a result of it feels extra pure, however each individual sitting round is pondering ‘what are they speaking about’.”
The entire Everton squad might want to pull collectively to get them away from the WSL relegation zone – Everton sit tenth after 13 video games, 5 factors above backside club Bristol City.
But that won’t quash the Scandi pleasure, significantly that new-found data of their affect on native tradition.
“The scouse are at all times so happy with that phrase,” Stenevik says of the lobscouse revelation. “Now we are able to say it’s truly Scandinavian.”
