''Everyone when I came [back] here asked me the question, 'so are you coming for back to back', and I thought, 'what does it actually mean?' I didn't know what the expression means,'' Klimkova said at the Canberra United launch yesterday.

''That [goal] is mainly from outside, inside the team we are talking about how we want to be better, how we want to show great football like last season, even better football, and that's our goal for the season.''

It's a sentiment shared by Sally Shipard. The midfielder is about to embark on her third season with United and was a critical part of the team's success last year.

''From the outside I suppose there's more pressures we're going to have to face, I mean we've always been the underdog coming into the W-League season - now we've won, we're undefeated, there's going to be these pressures,'' she said.

''What it's important for us to do is let go of those expectations and just take each day and each game as it comes.''

As Shipard, last season's W-League player of the year, continues to recover from knee injuries which have curtailed her pre-season training, that mentality might be a necessity as she fights to be ready for game one on October 20.

''I feel as though I'm further ahead physically than we actually anticipated, so my strength and what-not, good ol' muscle memory has kicked in in the last month or so, [and] I've been working pretty hard.

''To be honest, I think it's quite unfair on the girls for me to just go 'yeah, I'll put my hand up, I'll start, I'm ready' - which I believe I am - but at the same time the decision will come from the coaches over the next few days, and whether or not my body continues to adapt and put up with the load that they like putting me through.''

A recent test was a team-building hike up the 1375-metre Mount Tennent on the weekend, a 14-kilometre round trip.

''My knee sort of blew up a little bit having wandered up the mountain. It probably wasn't the best decision … going up the hill was fine, but coming down was just so painful.''

Both Shipard, who turns 25 on the day of the match against Brisbane Roar, and Klimkova have their fingers crossed the team doctors will clear her to play next week.

''If the physio will tell me she's ready to go, I would love to use her in a team,'' Klimkova said. ''I know about her quality, I know how she can change the game, I know how she can help us, so if she's ready I will be so happy coach. If she's not, I know we have the other girls who are good and can play the game.''