Above: Adelaide United celebrate during their win over Wellington Phoenix. They have now scored 12 goals in their last two games. Photo: Adelaide United.
By Kieran Yap(19/2/22)
Adelaide took another big step towards a first Finals appearance with a 4-1 win over a spirited and unlucky Wellington Phoenix.
The unsung hero of this game is Charlotte Lancaster, the defender was forced to act as the backup goalkeeper after Wellington were not allowed a replacement for Lily Alfeld.
This left a squad already missing Kate Taylor and Alfeld with one less outfield option on the bench, and a player with no senior experience as the only alternative should Brianna Edwards get an injury in the match.
Both sides attacked from the start. However, it only took until the fifth minute for the Reds to take the lead. “Goal difference” seems to be Adelaide’s mantra this season after narrowly missing finals last time, and they started with the same spirit as they did in the 8-2 thrashing of Brisbane Roar in the previous round.
On this occasion, it was Chelsie Dawber who opened the scoring. Nanako Sasaki’s slaloming run ended in a shot that was well blocked. The ball fell to Dawber just outside the box and she spread it wide to Matilda Mcnamara on the right.
The central defender drilled in a low hard cross to the near post and Fiona Worts attacked the ball but Mackenzie Barry was able to turn it away.
Above: Adelaide United congratulate Chelsie Dawber after she put them in front in Wollongong. Photo: Adelaide United.
Dawber had stayed back from the cluster of players and was in space to meet the clearance. Her shot was well struck and was good enough to beat Edwards through a crowded penalty area.
It was intelligent forward play by Dawber. She held back run running into the box initially and was left unmarked when the opportunity came to her. For the second week in the row, she had opened the scoring with a similar style finish.
Wellington almost replied when Ava Pritchard intercepted a lateral pass in Adelaide’s defence. She cut onto her left foot to shoot but her curling effort went over the crossbar.
Fiona Worts hit back for Adelaide. After scoring five times against Brisbane, she was eager to add to her increasing goal tally. The English striker gathered the ball near halfway and fired a long-range effort that skimmed wide, although Edwards looked to have it covered.
Wellington started the season learning how to defend. In recent weeks they have become a team that can rely on scoring goals most games. Alyssa Whinham and Pritchard combined to cross for Grace Jale.
Jale turned in the box and shot without hesitation. Annalee Grove dove and stretched but the ball nestled in the net and the Phoenix were level in brilliant style.
Unfortunately, parity would not last long. Zoe McMeeken sent a long back pass in the direction of where she thought Edwards would be.
To the horror of the young goalkeeper, it was as good as an Adelaide shot and the Reds were 2-1 up through some horrible fortune.
McMeeken’s error was as surprising as it was uncharacteristic. She has been one of Wellington’s best performers since the season began. It was a costly mistake, but it will not be what her season is remembered for. Both her and Edwards were understandably frustrated in the moment but to both players’ credit, they were able to put it behind them quickly.
Edwards was called into action one more time before the first 45 was up.
Georgia Beaumont, in for the injured Paige Hayward turned cleverly. Her shot was hard and on target. Edwards was well-positioned and her hands were even better, she tipped it over the keep Wellington in touch at the break.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, most Adelaide games do recently. Worts and Sasaki both saw their strikes whistle over the crossbar. Edwards saved well after Worts sped down the left and shot from an angle.
Above: Georgia Beaumont in possession for Adelaide United against Wellington Phoenix. Photo: Adelaide United.
Whinham created, and then neatly finished an opportunity for Wellington after she nutmegged her opponent and then received the ball back from Jale. Her hurried shot almost crawled over the line but was cleared by a desperate Emily Hodgson.
Adelaide finally extended their lead. Dawber had come close minutes earlier but set Worts on her way to her 10th of the season. It was a lighting quick attack, involving two passes. A defensive clearance was hit long and Dawber instantly moved it on to Worts.
The in-form striker sized up her options and took on Mackenzie Barry, the defender did well to stay with her but Worts created just enough space to get the shot away into the far corner.
As the game opened up, Adelaide were able to add one more. Dylan Holmes, in her 50th senior game as an Adelaide United player, carried the ball through midfield. She split the defence with a perfectly placed and weighted ball for Dawber to run onto. Her first touch took her into space and her second was into the net.
The game ended 4-1 as the Reds go marching on.
Adelaide’s front two of Dawber and Worts both have double figures for the season now. The pair have 10 goals each making them both equal first on the league scorers table.
Both players are in terrific touch but are more than just scorers. They are involved in build-up play and open up space for their teammates with their movement, or well-timed lack of movement if needed.
Above: In-form Chelsie Dawber battles away against Wellington Phoenix. Photo: Adelaide United.
Adelaide are playing brilliant, entertaining, and effective football. Their back four are solid defensively and are all capable of scoring or assisting and the midfield are dynamic and hard working.
Annalee Grove is reliable in goal and although Adelaide rarely keep a clean sheet, teams have to work hard to beat her.
The only thing stopping the Reds is injuries or (temporarily) the weather.
Wellington will be disappointed in this result, which is an indication of how far they have come. This young team go into games believing they are an even chance against the opposition.
This is not without justification. They defend well without dropping huge numbers behind the ball and are now scoring regularly. Jale now has four this season, and other attackers are no longer hesitating around goal.
Wellington have a nice long break now before they face Western Sydney on February 27th in a game they will be confident of winning. Adelaide’s next game is against Melbourne Victory the day before in a game that will likely determine their place on the ladder.
Above: Wellington Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis speaks to the media post-match. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
Speaking after the game, Wellington Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis said: “The own goal changed the game. We were a bit of the makers of our own undoing really. When you put the ball in the back of your net like that after that, the players’ heads went down and they were a bit gutted.
“We talked at halftime and felt like they were already a bit defeated as soon as that goal went in. I wasn’t too thrilled with the response because we’ve been in tough situations before.
“We played a little bit high risk, we played a little bit more on the front foot, we sent out fullbacks forward, we wanted to get the goal back because we felt like we could be in the game.
“And then obviously Adelaide are super dangerous on the counter and we knew that but we wanted to risk that anyway because lose 2-1, 3-1, it’s a loss in my eyes.
“Adelaide were good in the counter and undid us when that happened, two goals off of us trying to push and chase the win put the game to bed to be honest.”
Impetus’ Ben Gilby heard from the head coaches from three of the four teams in action on Saturday: Perth Glory’s Alex Epakis, Melbourne Victory’s Jeff Hopkins, and Newcastle Jets’ Ash Wilson. He also hears from Perth Glory midfielder Sarah Cain (18/2/22).
Above: Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis speaking at his media conference this week. Photo: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory head coach Alex Epakis revealed that there were no hesitations whatsoever when it came to extending his tenure to a third season.
“The club didn’t need to convince me to stay. I’m really invested in the players and what we are trying to achieve. It was an easy decision and one I’m delighted about.”
“In my mind, we have an unlimited amount of potential, both individually and collectively. As a group, we have a great balance of players who are all contributing towards success. It’s exciting to be part of and I’m proud of it. I get to work with these players and staff every day and I’m proud of that.”
With Perth’s A-League Women season coming down to their final three matches against Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Wellington Phoenix, they face a tough battle to make Finals, but one that remains realistic.
“I don’t want to put a limit on what we can achieve or what that may look like. We want to finish with three strong performances. If we pick up enough points to make the top four, great. Next year we want to have even more success and build towards that. A lot can happen in the next few weeks and I’m not writing off our chances.”
Perth’s head coach reiterated his observation that he knew early in pre-season that his team had huge potential going into the campaign.
“For me, having a six-week pre-season with the players was always going to be a huge starting point which was so much better than last year (when Perth had minimal preparation time and were still putting a squad together a month before the season started due to border restrictions).
“The players who were coming in and those we retained meant that I could have a specific pre-season. Every player came to the club knowing what to expect and I knew what to expect from them. I knew we had a strong foundation and we’d have stronger performances and it was exciting to see what we could achieve as a group.”
Whilst some saw last weekend’s 4-0 loss to Melbourne City as a decisive blow in the Western Australian side’s Finals hopes, Epakis has other thoughts.
“Our performances have been really good. The 4-0 loss to City needs to be put in context. It was 2-0 after 88 minutes and we kept trying to get something and as a result, it blew out. Those last goals were not huge lapses either.
“We’ve also showed in other games – Adelaide for example. They won 8-2 the game after we played them, and we beat them 1-0 with ten players. That was a huge result. If we focus towards what we did there against Melbourne Victory, we’ll be OK.
“I would describe our top four chances as optimistic. I am more interested in our performances over the final three weeks. That’s what we’re striving for. If we can try and do that regardless of opposition, then we have a chance of top four.
Above: Perth Glory’s Lisa De Vanna battles against Melbourne City’s Winonah Heatley last weekend. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
“The remaining fixtures for the teams, there are lots of equations and it can muddle your head. That is why I’m focusing on our performances. A lot of football is still to be played and lots can happen.”
For Perth Glory to be even being talked about as Finals contenders when they have only played one game at home all season (back in Round One), is an incredible achievement. That was something that the club’s head coach underlined.
“We want to be playing in Perth. We’ve lacked a competitive edge from not being able to play in WA. There’s the playing in front of our own support and the impact on the opposition with the travel and the time difference.
“You can’t dismiss that. It’s a really huge factor. We are trialling a bit of everything at the moment, but it is not home. Home advantage for Perth Glory is worth several points a season. Without that, the players have had to go above and beyond. It is us against the rest.
“I think if we’d had been able to play in Perth we’d be in an even stronger position. What this situation has caused though is a really big bond between the group and that has helped in difficult situations. Yet, it comes without the outside support network. You don’t want to just be suffocated by football, you need family and friends too.”
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s clash with Melbourne Victory, Epakis said: “It was a good opportunity to watch Victory play Sydney on Wednesday as we saw some real strengths of theirs. They have a fantastic front three who can create and take chances with very little space. We also saw a few little things in their structure which hopefully we can take advantage of and attack.
“They are an experienced team. Jeff (Hopkins, head coach) and the players have been together for a number of years now. It’s a match where both teams go into it knowing they need the three points. It will come down to which team can manage the critical moments better.
In terms of availability for tomorrow’s game, Perth’s head coach revealed: “Some players have had to go back to WA for school or other commitments. We’ve sent Poppie Hooks and Tijan McKenna back with our best wishes as they are about to enter their HSC year at school. Gemma Craine has gone back as well after her injury and she needs to be getting back to Perth. We have no new injuries though.”
Meanwhile, the club has revealed that their final regular-season A-League Women “home” match against Wellington Phoenix will be played in Tasmania at Launceston’s UTAS Stadium as a doubleheader with Glory’s men’s team playing Western United.
Above: Sarah Cain at her media conference on Thursday. Photo: Perth Glory.
Perth Glory’s Sarah Cain also spoke to the media this week and began by reviewing last weekend’s loss to Melbourne City.
“It was disappointing to lose to Melbourne City. Performance-wise we could have done more in that game, but there were factors like fatigue from the short turnaround. This week we’ve worked and made small changes on what let us down. We’re ready to go again now. The gap between us and the top four isn’t a 4-0 scoreline. We want to aim this weekend to prove that on any given day we can beat the top teams.
“Making the Finals would be massive given the circumstances we’ve had to face this season. Everyone has sacrificed so much to be here and we’re going for the same goal. Having a chance to make Finals is huge.”
Cain emphasized her focusses this season in developing herself as a player. “Physicality is something I’m looking at adding to my game. It’s been a big focus in training for me. Size is never going to be my thing, so I’ve tried to work harder on tackles and it came to life in the City game.”
With Perth now approaching their third month on the road, Cain reflected that she has had it easier than other players in the squad.
“Life on the road has been OK for me. Obviously, I relocated from Melbourne to the club anyway, so in that respect, it’s an easier adjustment for me compared to the local girls. I was already prepared to leave my family for five or six months anyway. Day to day there are challenges, but on the whole, the group are doing well.”
Examples of how well the group are doing came with the 22-year-old midfielder revealing how Glory have been celebrating birthdays in a rather unique fashion recently.
“We’ve had four birthdays in the last month among the team. We’re sticking together and taking every opportunity to be together. We added up the collective age of the birthdays in February and it came to 115 so we all went out to op shops, got old person clothes, and had an old people’s dress party!”
In terms of Victory the game against Melbourne Victory on Saturday, Cain knows there is a major challenge ahead: “They have lots of players in great form. Chidiac, Zimmerman who scored to draw the game for them against Sydney. We need to make sure that those sorts of players don’t get time on the ball. We need to shut them down quickly and not give them a sniff in the final third.”
Above: Melbourne Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins speaking to the media ahead of Saturday’s game with Perth Glory. Photo: Melbourne Victory.
Melbourne Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins opened his media conference by speaking of his pride in the team’s comeback from 2-0 down against Sydney FC on Wednesday.
“The performance in the second half was great. We could take our intensity and play to another level, and that was really good. It’s given us a lot of confidence that come Finals time once we get there that we can really give it a shake with any of the teams in the league.
“We’ve played well over the last four games. We’ve won and kept clean sheets. To put a performance in against the top team is great. First half we were well up against it and they (Sydney) were on top. The quality in our response in the second half was very pleasing. We made some changes at half-time and the players who came on really sparked the turning around of the game. One or two of the players were disappointed that we didn’t go on to win the game.”
Whilst that point against Sydney puts Victory in a great place in the Finals race, Hopkins is not looking any further ahead then Saturday’s game with Perth Glory.
“Right now, we just have to deal with what is in front of us on a day-to-day basis, look at the opposition and get out there. We’re game to game and going out to win each one.
“Perth have been great this year. They have really built and recruited really well. They will be tough, but we’re at home. We’ve looked at them, but it’s about our strengths and imposing ourselves on the opposition. We want to play at our intensity and focus on us.
“There are two teams who are desperate for a win. If we win, we’ll put a big gap between us and then. There will be some desperation from them. Whether that means they will be attacking or trying to keep things tight, I don’t know. The last 15-20 minutes could be like a cup-tie/Finals type game as there is so much at stake for both teams.”
Melbourne Victory’s head coach revealed that availability-wise, the news is reasonably positive. “Amy Jackson has a calf strain so she won’t be involved. Everyone else is looking good. Kyra (Cooney-Cross) copped a knock on her knee against Sydney, but she’s OK. There is some fatigue, so we might have to shuffle the pack a bit, but no-one else is definitely out.”
Above: Ash Wilson pictured in training. She gave a wide-ranging fascinating media conference today. Photo: Newcastle Jets.
Newcastle Jets head coach Ash Wilson provided an insight into the realities of being an A-League Women coach and player whilst having to work full-time amidst the unclear remaining schedule of matches this season.
Asked about the departure of goalkeeper Georgia Boric due to work commitments, Wilson said: “Georgia works for a private school as a rowing co-ordinator. She has a massive role organizing their program and with the number of catch-up games ahead and a lack of information about when they are going to take place, it means employers don’t have knowledge about the situation. It makes things very difficult. Her role changed into a more full-time role at the school as well as having to come into training.
“It’s an unfortunate reality of the women’s game – players working and trying to balance that with being full-time athletes. In some cases, it becomes difficult for the employer to balance that out and make the best of it for everyone involved.
“Georgia is saddened by the fact that she has had to make such a difficult decision. We want to make sure she feels supported by us, but sometimes in the women’s game, work is what keeps a roof over your head and that is the reality of it.
“The door is 100% open for her to come back next season. She is a quality keeper. This year has been unprecedented at the curve balls that it has thrown at everyone. I still can’t give players clear-cut guidelines as to when we are playing all our matches this season. Employers have every right to have concerns.
“The majority of my players have jobs. Tara Andrews is an engineer, Hannah Brewer is a teacher. Lauren Allan is a radiographer. So much is going on in their lives. The league does need to look into solutions into more investment. I’m in a position where I work full-time as a PE teacher and I’ve come straight from it to do this conference. We do it because of the passion we have.”
Above: Georgia Boric, who was forced to leave Newcastle Jets this week due to work commitments. Photo: Newcastle Herald.
Jets come into this weekend’s game at home to Western Sydney Wanderers on the back of a positive performance against Sydney FC – a game that Newcastle almost got a draw out of.
“We’ve got a lot to take out of that game against Sydney. The way we played, the pressure we put on Sydney. We fought til the end. They had a lot more shots than us, but quite a few were from outside the box. We need to keep going now. That’s the standard we need. Also taking that frustration from the end (disallowed equalizer at the death) and channel that. Training has been great and we’re all buzzing.”
With Jets’ upcoming fixtures against teams who are all around them in the table, Wilson is confident of positive results if the level of performance against Sydney can be replicated.
“Yeah. That’s the message. We have to put distance between ourselves and the others. We need to maintain that regardless of where our opposition are on the ladder. We need to be playing our best. We have to maintain that.”
“For us, the last games are really important. We can’t think about what’s happened in previous seasons (where Jets have played well but not got the number of wins that they could have) as its a different team now. We’ve earned more points than in the last two seasons. Our goal was to make Finals. That’s looking unlikely now, but we need to keep building and making those improvements.
“Over the next couple of weeks, we have no excuses and need to put in performances that warrant points and finish as strongly as we can. Finishing fifth or sixth is better than where we were last season (nearer the bottom).”
Asked about the specific areas that she feels there is room for improvement, the Jets head coach said: “There are times when we could be a little bit more clinical and composed, but I can’t fault the energy and effort of the girls or defensive setup.
“A lot of teams have been in the same boat as us. We’ve lost players at unexpected times. COVID and isolation has hit in a way that no-one could predict. The league has been like that for everyone though.
“We’ve scored more goals than we did last year, we have more different goalscorers. It’s just composure now.”
“We’ve had a normal training week in the way we’ve loaded the players up towards peaking towards Sunday.”
With regard to availability for tomorrow’s match, Wilson revealed: “Gema Simon has a low grade in the calf and won’t be available, but the rest of the girls have pulled up well after last week. Hannah Brewer is coming back into the mix after her time in isolation.”
Artwork: Newcastle Jets.
Also ahead of the game with Western Sydney Wanderers tomorrow, Newcastle Jets have announced the signing of young goalkeeper Sophie Magus for the remainder of the season.
Magus will join the team as a replacement for Georgia Boric who has had to leave the club due to work commitments.
The 22-year-old joins after spending time with the Western Sydney Wanderers back in 2020, and recently with top NPLW sides APIA Leichardt and Sydney University.
Coach Ash Wilson said she was pleased to be able to bring in someone of Magus’ quality after the unfortunate loss of Boric.
“It’s obviously disappointing to lose Georgia at this stage of the season,” Wilson said.
“Due to unexpected changing work commitments, she had to make the difficult decision to discontinue the season and it’s an unfortunate reminder of some of the pressures and challenges the women’s game brings of balancing work and football.
“Sophie is a promising young goalkeeper. She is brave, confident with her feet, and has a fantastic attitude toward making the most from her opportunities.
“It is great to be able to bring in someone with such potential and drive and I look forward to working with her over the coming weeks.”
Magus admitted she’d be looking for a move to the Jets and to work with Wilson for some time.
“I’ve been following the Jets for the past year and am really impressed with the setup Ash has,” Magus said.
“I think working under her was one of the biggest motivators for me coming here.
“I’m really excited to be part of an extremely professional and high-quality club. The girls have been so welcoming and I’m looking forward to ending the season on a high and working towards a place in the finals.”
Above: Canberra United’s Grace Maher, who made her 50th appearance for the club in Tuesday’s 5-0 win at Western Sydney Wanderers. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Ahead of Canberra United’s game at Brisbane Roar tomorrow, Impetus’ Ben Gilby heard from the Greens’ Grace Maherand some news from the Roar camp (17/2/22).
Canberra United’s Grace Maher previewed tomorrow’s game at Brisbane Roar as well as revealing the importance that a strange atmosphere of calm in the dressing room pre-game had on recording their first win of the season at Western Sydney Wanderers on Tuesday.
“It was a fun bus journey home from Sydney. It was a lot louder than any we’ve had this season. Getting that first win had really been eating away at us, but there was something interesting yesterday. Myself, Michelle (Heyman) and Vicki (Linton, head coach) all noticed a sense of calm before the game between the players and we didn’t know how that would translate onto the pitch but we didn’t say anything as we just wanted to see what happened.
“Lo and behold, in the first 20 minutes, everyone was taking time to find the players and keeping the ball. We kept Wanderers on the back foot and got a goal. We took control from there and went on for the whole 90 minutes.”
With that first win under their belt, Canberra are back in action almost immediately, something that Maher is excited about.
“No matter whether you come off a win or loss, games in quick succession is good. You can put things behind you or build momentum. We love playing lots of games, that’s why we train every day and turn up. As much as its tough on our bodies, and this week we have double travel (Sydney on Tuesday is followed by Brisbane tomorrow), we’re super glad we got the result and we want to keep the momentum going.”
The impact of the Western Sydney game on Canberra bodies was particularly brutal as Canberra’s star revealed: “I don’t think I’ve ever had so many bruises in a game that were not self-inflicted! The body is sore, but we train for this. We have great staff and people around us who make sure we’ll be ready to go on Friday. The win makes the sore spots that bit more sweeter.”
Also making the win that bit sweeter was the fact that it came on Maher’s 50th appearance for Canberra United and she was wearing the captain’s armband.
“I was really emotional when I found out that I was going to be captain. The club means a lot to me, coming up from the juniors and playing in the W-League for eight years. Caps don’t come so quickly when we have such short seasons. All I could say to the team was how proud I was of the for the performance they put in bearing in mind how tough it’s been this season.
“We have a series of games in quick succession now. We want to get as many wins as we can now as we know we haven’t played well in some games and then in others we did play well but the results didn’t come.”
Tomorrow’s game now takes on added importance as Canberra travel to another team around them in the table as they look to close in on fifth spot in the table.
“Brisbane have just come off a really heavy defeat (8-2 to Adelaide United) and we’ve just come off a big win. We know they are quality as we had a 3-3 draw with them at Christmas. They’ve got Katrina Gorry who will jump on us if we have a bad game. We have to back it up.”
In this first of a two-part feature, Caister manager Sophie Gillett and captain Hayley Muir, speak to Darrell Allen (17/2/22).
Caister FC manager Sophie Gillett has been involved in the sport since the age of four, and has had some truly memorable experiences she takes up the story.
“I then went on and played youth football at the age of eight. I was scouted by Norwich City and from the age of nine to 16 I played for the Norwich City Centre of excellence girls programme. At the time if I’m honest I didn’t really appreciate what I had but looking back now the opportunities to travel the country and parts of Europe on tour was fantastic we had a quality side and beat everyone.
“My favourite memory was going to Manchester and playing at United’s old training ground, and as a United fan respectively scoring against Liverpool in a tournament was up there as my favourite goal! With my time as a youth player I represented Gorleston Girls for eight years and also played for Norfolk girls for four.
“I gained many sport coaching badges and now because of that I am coach and manager of not only Caister Ladies, but also Gorleston Rangers u15s girls too.
Captain Hayley Muir is a legend of the local game in Norfolk with a career which began over 40 years ago.
“At the age of about nine, I got my first ever minutes playing in a proper match for the team my brother played for as there were no opportunities for girls wanting to play and the ‘no girls allowed in football’ was in those days ‘normal’. In order to be on that pitch I had to pretend to be a boy and my team mates were told to call me ‘Harry’. I loved it and as I ran on to that pitch my Dads’ words of “Get Stuck in!” rang loud and clear and I certainly did just that!
“When I was almost 13 (Back in the day women’s team did exist, but you needed to be 13 years old to join), my mum saw an advert in the local paper , an Ex Women’s England footballer was starting a new team called Norwich Ladies and trials were being held in Earlham Norwich, for any girls 13 and over and women looking to play.
“My dad took me and I got offered a place, I had four-five seasons with Norwich, we were very successful. We won all our local leagues, before joining the Chiltern League (lots of traveling) and if my memory serves me right we won that too! Our team was extremely strong. I played alongside three England internationals and one Welsh. We played our way into the W.F.A Cup Final, our opponents were Doncaster Belles.
“It’s such a long time ago, I missed out on the final due to illness, but I am sure we won! (They did, 4-3, and below is the photo to prove it!) I do remember our team being invited to the City Hall to collect our medals. I won league honours at U16, but can’t remember many games concerning that.
Above: Linda Curl lifts the FA Cup for Norwich City after their 4-3 win over Doncaster Belles in 1986 at Carrow Road. Hayley was part of the Norwich team that season but missed out on the Final due to illness. Photo: Women’s FA Cup.
“Illness, two operations for a swollen kidney saw me stop playing at the age of 18/19. I didn’t then return to football for some 20 years, I joined the newly started Sprowston Ladies. I enjoyed several seasons there before moving to Gorleston Ladies and finally now onto Caister Ladies, for whom I’m very proud to be captain of”
After incredible careers, both now find themselves spearheading operations at the newly formed Caister, The Step eight club are in their first season. Sophie was quick to praise the work of her assistant coach Matthew.
“It is our first season at Caister and although many outside the club may see me as the Manager, I lead and am the head coach for the ladies too. So I do everything from match preparation, admin after the game, to training and wouldn’t want any part of my role to change. Matthew assists with the running of the team and has been a great coach in leading sessions to support the goalkeepers”
Hayley’s role is very much one of leadership. “It’s our very first season as Caister Ladies, my role as captain is to lead by example and to support our management and squad in all they need or do”
In the Norfolk scene much a much talked about story is how the bulk of the former Gorleston squad are now at Caister just a few miles up the road, whilst Gorleston now have a new team and are going well in Step eight themselves to, Sophie told me her group are very happy to have made the move.
“I think it’s fair to say that publicly its been brought to people’s attention that we weren’t happy at our previous club, as a team lots had said they wanted to leave or were looking elsewhere and despite what some may say, this team is built on a foundation of friendship and to keep that together was more important than anything else.
“There were a few things mentioned from a third party on social media and at the time I was approached by four different clubs about going over as a team. However, the one thing that stood out for me with Caister was the one club motto, how approachable they were, how, yes football is about success but it’s the foundation of the club from youth through to the first team.
Above: Hayley Muir (left) and Sophie Gillett (right). Photo: Caister FC.
“We would be treated as part of the Caister ‘family’, on board with all decisions and given the same opportunities as the men. It was also lockdown and had club representatives checking in on players they’ve never met to check they were OK, that to me spoke volumes, being at a club who genuinely cares about the club as a whole and the interests of their players.
“So with all this in mind and a meeting with myself, Matthew and Hayley and a tour of the facilities we spoke to the girls about wanting to keep together and it went from there and I’d go as far to say best decision we’ve ever made.”
Hayley was also quick to support Gillie in confirming the right decision to join Caister was made. “Caister happened because of 21 squad players feeling frustrated, let down, dictated to and filled with false promises at Gorleston. Our manager Gillie, a green since a child whose life was Gorleston and who’s family have been involved in the club all her life had the strength of character and the guts to listen to her players and take the appropriate steps to keep her well established squad together by moving us to Caister.
“Had she not have done that the team would have folded, of that I am sure. Gillie, myself and Matthew were invited for a tour at Caister and within seconds I felt at home. Gillie put all the blood sweat and toil in!”
The Norfolk Women’s Football scene was going to include divisions at Steps seven to nine of the pyramid system, but this was reduced to eight close to the start of the season, I asked Gillie if she was happy with the decision.
“Personally, I’m pleased about if I am honest, People and teams moaned that we should be in Division One let alone Division Three. I think being in Division Three would have been hard. It would mean two seasons of promotions back to back before we got to the stage of Division One.
“Division Two was where the league respectively placed us despite other options and from the lack of of confidence, results from the previous year I think it was the right call. Others may disagree and looking at the results I wouldn’t blame them. However they’ve not walked in our shoes or been through the experiences we have had as a team, set back, knock backs, lack of respect for us individually and as a team and comments on social media.
“For me the fresh start, rebuilding, re grouping and attracting new players has been a blessing and I am so proud of our journey to get to this point, so yeah Division Two for me was the right call. At the end of the day you have to enjoy what you do, we don’t get paid for this, and to be enjoying our football again and growing as a team in confidence is more important than others opinions.”
Hayley also supported the decision to play at step eight. “Personally, I was very pleased on finding out we were to start in Division Two, the girls are more than worthy at competing at this level, although I know their confidence took a knock at Gorleston. The season so far for this squad has been brilliant, not only because of results but because of the team atmosphere, the improvement in players’ confidence, all working to better themselves, individually for the sake of their team. Couple that with brilliant, well organised training sessions from Gillie and Matthew working with our goalkeepers too and the easiness of Caister Football Club as a whole, things are going really well.”
Part Two of the article will be published on Sunday morning when Sophie and Hayley reflect in detail on Caister’s first season so far and look ahead to the day’s big England v Spain match just up the road from them in Norwich.
Above: Action from Plough Lane last night. Photo: Glyn Roberts.
From George Jones, AFC Wimbledon Ladies
AFC Wimbledon extended their unbeaten run to 13 games with an incredible win under the lights at Plough Lane against a very well-drilled QPR side in the FA Women’s National League Division One South-East last night.
The Dons went into the game against a Rangers side who were unbeaten in 2022 knowing a win was required to stay within touching distance of the top two as Hashtag and Billericay both had winnable games against London Seaward and Kent Football United respectively.
Wimbledon had the best of the early exchanges with Chloe Sampson and Katie Stanley linking up well either side of Ashlee Hincks who went into the game having scored her 30th goal of the season on Sunday. However despite some good build up play from the Dons a lack of quality in the final third, lead to a scrappy first half and the half-time scoreline of 0-0 was a fair reflection of that.
The second half however was a different story with the Dons growing into the game and building more and more pressure in search of the opening goal. The feel of the game was very much of if the Dons got the first goal the game would open up allowing the hosts to increase their lead.
The first clear chance of the second half fell to Chloe Sampson but her shot went just wide of the keeper’s left hand post. With 25 minutes remaining, Molly Childerhouse replaced Chloe Sampson to add more steel into midfield to allow Megan Stow to play a more advanced role.
The Dons kept applying the pressure and came agonizing close with 15 minutes remaining as Rebecca Sargent got onto the end of an Ashlee Hincks corner however the header was just wide. With 10 minutes remaining it was looking like the Dons would not get the goal they so deserved.
Then, the ball fell to centre-back Kelly Highman just outside the QPR penalty area, and what followed can only be described as a goal of the season contender as the ball flew into the keeper’s top right-hand corner.
After the Dons took the lead the game did open up and sure enough this favoured the hosts as Ashlee Hincks finished off a brilliant solo counter-attack to double the lead by scoring her 31st goal of the season in only 25 games.
Results elsewhere did not go the Dons way as Hashtag United and Billericay both won their games meaning that AFC Wimbledon still need them to slip up between now and the end of the season to have a chance of claiming the sole promotion spot to enter the third tier of women’s football.
With the FAWNL Plate Semi-Final still to come, it is sure to be an incredible end to the season for the Dons. Before all of that though the Dons are back in Capital County Cup action on Sunday when they face Ashford Town (Middx) at Carshalton Athletic FC.
Speaking after the match, El Sueno Tequila Player of the Match Megan Stow said “It was a tough game, the first 45 we were forcing a lot, didn’t take our time and they sat in and moved side to side but in the second half we picked up some momentum were more patient and ground out two goals, unbelievable finish from Kelly Highman it was goal of the season for me already and nice little one from Ashlee (Hincks) one on one with the goalkeeper so class all round that we kept going and were patient and got the win.”
AFC Wimbledon manager Kevin Foster said “We were slow to start, to be fair to QPR they set up in a way to make it difficult for us to break them down and they did it really well. We had to stay patient and in the second half we started putting things a bit better and patterns started coming in a bit more and we started growing into the game and fortunately out of nowhere Kelly Highman has put one in the top corner which is unbelievable from her.”
Above: Gema Simon looks to escape from Cortnee Vine at Number Two Sportsground last weekend. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.
Kris Goman is Impetus’ A-League Women photographer. She’s been around several grounds over the past week for us. Here are her superb action shots(17/2/22).
Above: Scenes of joy for Melbourne Victory at their late comeback. Photo: Melbourne Victory.
Melbourne Victory 2-2 Sydney FC
By Kieran Yap at the City Vista Recreation Reserve (17/2/22)
Sydney FC made a rare trip outside of New South Wakes to face Melbourne Victory in a rematch of last season’s Grand Final and a possible preview to this season’s.
The league leaders have become accustomed to not only winning but winning without conceding goals. Sydney FC had a full-strength starting 11 and were missing only Paige Satchell and Maria Rojas who were both away on international duty.
Melbourne Victory were coming off their best performance of the season so far. The 5-0 defeat of Western Sydney Wanderers last week was on the foundation of them having key players in their preferred positions, and Kyra Cooney-Cross returning to an attacking role after Matildas duty and serving a suspension for a red card.
For this clash, Jeff Hopkins was back to plugging gaps in the team. It is something that he has become very good at this season and it should not be taken for granted. Claudia Bunge’s absence meant that Amy Jackson returned to central defence. This would be a test for Victory against one of the league’s most dangerous attacks.
Sydney started the match on the front foot. They dominated early possession and Victory seemed rushed in midfield. Alana Murphy was dominant for Melbourne against Newcastle two rounds prior, but up against Taylor Ray, Rachel Lowe and Mackenzie Hawkesby there much was less time and space for the youngster to direct play.
Lowe had the first real chance of the game, Hawkesby found her with a perfect chipped pass over the backline. She remained onside but the shot skimmed wide of the post. Casey Dumont was quick off her line to restrict the angle but Lowe would have expected to score.
Princess Ibini was next to try. The winger scored one of the goals of the season last weekend, but her trademark move did not have the same result in this game. She created the space well but hit it off target.
Above: Sydney FC’s Princess Ibini (right) looks to race away from Melbourne Victory’s Maja Markovski. Photo: A-League Women.
Nat Tobin hit the side netting with a well-struck effort on the turn and Siemsen’s attempt was on target but straight at Dumont.
Victory’s best chance of moving the ball was through Alex Chidiac, the playmaker was deployed in a deeper role than usual, although she may have just been following the play. Chidiacs ability to control instantly and carry the ball into space immediately relieves pressure on her side and it was important in a first half in which Victory were hanging on.
Kyra Cooney-Cross spent an anxious few minutes on the turf following a collision with multiple Sydney FC players. She was able to continue but looked restricted and dropped into midfield from the wing.
The game was an arm wrestle in the first half but roared into life in the second. Sydney opened the scoring with Ibini’s second goal in as many games. Polly Doran had the pace to match her and covered her favoured right foot as the Sydney FC winger dribbled into the area. With everybody expecting a cross or shot, she shifted the ball to her left and slide it past Dumont.
Ibini was the only player on the field to know what was going to happen. The goal was another brilliant individual effort and in its own way as good as her screamer against the Jets.
When Remy Siemsen scored Sydney’s second it looked for a moment like the floodgates might open. Charlize Rule received the ball in space and sent in a perfect cross. Siemsen was not exactly unmarked. She has a defender in front of her and behind her but the quality of the ball created an open header which she buried emphatically.
Above: Sydney FC celebrate what at the time appeared could be a match-defining lead. Photo: Sydney FC
Things got tougher for Victory with Amy Jackson suffering an ankle injury. Tiffany Eliadis was brought on to replace her in her first defensive appearance since the loss to Melbourne City earlier in the year.
She performed well in trying circumstances. She played with a no-nonsense style when the ball was there to be won and her passing from the back helped drive Melbourne forward as they looked for a lifeline.
It arrived from the boot of Lia Privitelli. After Hawkesby and Lowe combined again with some neat, stylish passing, Melbourne went on the counter-attack. Courtney Nevin hit in a brilliant low cross that caused chaos in the Sydney penalty area.
Privtielli was on hand to force the ball over the line for her third goal of the season and her first since round one. It was the first goal that Sydney FC had conceded for 901 minutes.
Melbourne continued to press, Kyra Cooney-Cross tried her luck from long range but it dipped over the bar. As the game wore on, there was a feeling among the home support that a goal was coming.
It arrived in injury time, but was worth waiting for. A Chidiac corner bounced around a crowded defence until Catherine Zimmerman volleyed home on her left foot.
It was terrific technique and great composure to keep from skying it over the bar.
Above: Melbourne Victory celebrate their superb comeback from 2-0 down. Photo: Melbourne Victory.
Chidiac and Paige Zois almost found a way to a winner when they combined on the left. The resulting corner fell to Nevin but it was too high for her to direct her header on target.
From 2-0 down to the league leaders without their starting centre-back, and then without their backup centre-back, Victory had clawed a result against the best team in the competition.
Sydney’s nine-game streak of clean sheets is over, but they still remain unbeaten this season and are the most likely to finish on top.
Victory play again on the weekend, where they meet Perth Glory. There will be concerns over the fitness of Cooney-Cross and Jackson seems an unlikely inclusion.
Above: Isabel Hodgson speaking at a recent club media conference. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.
Isabel Hodgson, Adelaide United’s captain, spoke to Kieran Yap for this week’s #MidweekDub feature. They discuss the Reds’ superb season to date and their high hopes for Finals football(16/2/22).
Say it quietly but Adelaide United are one of the best sides in the A-League Women competition.
This is not just based on ladder position, The Reds are currently in the top four with their destiny in their own hands, but they are also capable of playing some scintillating football.
After a tough start to the season that began with a 5-1 loss to Melbourne Victory and a 3-1 loss to Melbourne City in the opening month. Things eventually began to click, and they returned to the form that they ended the previous season in.
Their turnaround on field coincided with the return of their new captain. Isabel Hodgson battled injury early in the campaign but has been on hand as Adelaide climbed the table.
Although happy with the place on the table, the right back remains grounded and focussed on what lays ahead.
“Obviously it’s a really good start to our season,” she told Impetus.
“We’re in a pretty decent position.
“Obviously, we can always be doing better and playing better but for my first year as a captain I’m really happy with my side and how we’ve been going so far.”
Above: Isabel Hodgson in action for Adelaide United against Melbourne Victory this season. Photo: Adelaide United.
Hodgson has spent her entire senior career at Adelaide United. The club embarked on a long-term strategy to build the team for success. The core of the side remains committed to the team, chief among them is their captain.
“We have a lot of loyalty to the club and a lot of loyalty to Adelaide itself,” she says of the players.
“I think we’ve been building this for a couple of years, and we’ve put in the work to get to where we are.
“I would hate to put all these years in and move on from the club as they do well and make finals.”
Hodgson was forced to watch from the sidelines as the season got off to a less than perfect start. For the incoming skipper, it was a difficult few weeks.
“It was really hard,” she reflects
“I got an injury quite early, and I had to watch the team, which is really hard in my first year as captain.
“I was really looking forward to the season and doing the best that I could.”
Hodgson is a popular player amongst the Adelaide faithful. She is a skilful and tenacious fullback who is also capable of driving upfield and setting up goals. In the last match of the 2020/21 season she was thrust into an attacking role as The Reds needed to increase their goal difference.
She responded with a sensational goal in front of a record crowd.
Above: Isabel Hodgson in action for Adelaide United last season at Marden. Photo: Adelaide United.
This season she has largely remained in defence although her crossing ability has been a valuable asset for Adelaide’s strikers.
“I love playing up front,” she says emphatically.
“I used to play there when I was younger and its somewhere I like to venture up to when I can. Last year I did it a couple of times due to personnel on the field.
“I’m pretty secure in my right back position, but if I get the chance I’m definitely saying yes to going further up the field.”
She is relatively new to the captaincy at A-League Women’s level. However, she has not had to change much of her game style to befit her new role.
“Probably just trying to lead a little bit more on the field,” she says, describing her approach to wearing the arm band.
If the game isn’t going the way we like just to keep things positive, but I think the way I play has stayed pretty much the same. Just asking for a little more of a leadership role from myself.”
Adelaide is certainly not lacking in leadership. The team’s midfield stocks received a huge boost when former captain Dylan Holmes returned. It is safe to say that everybody was glad to welcome her back to the line-up.
But was there any chance of a leadership challenge from the prodigal star?
“Absolutely not,” laughs Hodgson
Above: Isabel Hodgson (far left) celebrates with her team after a goal against Newcastle Jets. Photo: Adelaide United.
“I didn’t have to stamp my authority.
“It was really good it was obviously different for her to come back into a different position. But the good thing about our team is that we’ve got leaders everywhere.
“We’ve got three girls in the leadership group and obviously Dylan as an ex-captain, it helps us. The more leaders you have, the better the team does.
“Even if it’s not the captain role she had last year, she’s still very much a leader.”
Adelaide United have played some of the league’s most eye-catching football recently. They defend with composure and attack with intensity and unpredictability.
The passing is often direct, fast and without hesitation. A brilliant Fiona Worts goal against Newcastle Jets ended a move that began at centre back and involved seven players all constantly moving the ball forward.
That on field chemistry is something that has developed with patience says Hodgson.
“It’s something we’ve definitely been building towards.
“Obviously, a lot of us have played a few years together and even Fiona (Worts), this is her second year, and we’ve had that season with her to know what she likes and where she is going to be and, people like myself and Dylan Holmes have played together on and off since we were 11.
“I think finally now it’s clicking at that higher level and that’s showing in how well we’re playing as well as winning.”
Above: Isabel Hodgson supporting Adelaide United’s Pride Game initiative. Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.
Another rising star in red is striker Chelsie Dawber who rose quickly to find herself in a position to challenge for the Golden Boot. She sits two goals behind Hannah Wilkinson who will miss matches due to national team duty.
According to Hodgson, the team is using their leading scorer much better than in previous years.
“I think she’s getting the ball a lot more. Last year she scored a lot of goals as well but I think we’re utilizing her a lot better than we did last year.
“She’s that year old now, she had a pretty good season last year… that confidence just keeps getting better and better every week.”
Adelaide enters the “football frenzy” of high frequency matches in a strong position. But Hodgson is as composed about the situation as she is with the ball at her feet. It really is just one game at a time to achieve that coveted top four spot.
“You’ve got to be a little bit switched on with recovery. We’ve got three away games in a row. We’re not scared we’re not worried. We know we can go away and do our job.
“That’s what it’s about, it’s about playing games and that’s what we do so the only thing to think about is the first game. Once you’ve done that you can think about the rest
“Play each game the best you can and recover as fast as you can after that. Just make sure we keep getting the three points.
“For us, every game is a must win, it’s a short season. If you drop points anywhere it really does affect you, we learned that last year with goals difference.”
While a top four finish would be a historical first for the club, the players have higher goals. Considering the football that they can produce, they are justified in dreaming big.
After missing out by a single goal last season, they are eager to make amends and to go one step further.
“I think that was our main focus. We were heartbroken last year to get so close, in the end that was out goal to make finals and we didn’t reach that so there’s that bitter taste in our mouths.
“But I think this year we went into this season wanting to win it. It wasn’t even just about just making finals. It was ‘we want to be competitive enough to win the whole thing…anything less than a Grand Final game is going to be disappointing for us.”
Above: Adelaide United head coach Adrian Stenta is proud of his team’s current form but know they face a tough challenge against Wellington Phoenix tomorrow. Photosupplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.
Round 12 of the A-League Women gets underway tomorrow with the two teams who produced last weekend’s most eyecatching results going head to head. Impetus’ Ben Gilby heard from both head coaches, Adrian Stenta of Adelaide United and Wellington Phoenix’s Gemma Lewis(16/2/22).
Adelaide United head coach Adrian Stenta was unsurprisingly in a positive mood ahead of his side’s trip to Wollongong to face Wellington Phoenix tomorrow.
He first gave his assessment of his team’s 8-2 win at Brisbane Roar last weekend. “It was a really pleasing response to what was a disappointing performance on the Thursday (when Adelaide lost 1-0 to Perth Glory). It was great to score multiple goals. If I’m being honest, I’d rather we didn’t concede two, but it was great to see the girls follow through on what we wanted to execute.”
Whilst Fiona Worts claimed the headlines in that match for scoring five goals, Stenta wanted to recognize her all-round efforts for the team.
“She’s worked really hard for us as a team this year. She’s been involved in a lot of team goals and hadn’t quite had the rewards herself up until the weekend. Credit needs to also go to the playing group around her with some fantastic balls from Dylan (Holmes) and Chelsie (Dawber) too.”
Turning attention to Wellington Phoenix, Adelaide’s head coach knows that his team are going to face a serious challenge. “It is going to be tough. They made life really difficult for us when we played them over here. They’ll be really buoyed by that first win and now have an opportunity to get off the bottom of the table.
“I’ve been so impressed by what I’ve seen from Wellington this season, not just on the pitch and tactically, but they have a good mentality.”
Adelaide United have emphasized their desire to go one better than last season and make Finals this time round, and that is firmly in Stenta’s thoughts: “This group has a real want and desire to achieve something this year. We haven’t put any limits on ourselves and we’re mentally strong.
“The girls really want to make the most of this opportunity. We know what we need to do to be at our best, we just need to make sure we unlock that on a weekly basis.”
Finally, Adelaide United’s head coach revealed that he is likely to be without Paige Hayward due to scans on an injury and potentially Emily Condon who is nursing a leg issue.
Above: Wellington Phoenix boss Gemma Lewis speaking to the media today. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.
Wellington Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis opened her media conference by speaking of her frustration at not getting a reply to daily contact attempts with Football Australia with regard to getting permission to bring in an emergency goalkeeper.
With Lily Alfeld away on international duty at the SheBelieves Cup, Phoenix will field Brianna Edwards in goal, but league rules state that a second keeper must be named on the bench.
As the Phoenix have had to response to their request to bring in another goalkeeper, they will have to name an outfield player as sub goalkeeper.
Edwards will make her first start against Adelaide United tomorrow, and Lewis outlined how the 19-year-old is feeling about her debut. “She’s a mix of nerves and excitement. Sometimes she seems really nervous and sometimes she’s just raring to go. I think it’s a positive thing. I think it’s a good mix.
“She really cares. She’s come in and doing the extra work with us and going through footage. She’s making sure she knows everything that she needs to be doing which shows her added professionalism and the fact that she really wants to do well for this team. I’m really excited for her. I’m really excited to see how she goes.
Lewis revealed her players’ response to being asked after their maiden win against Canberra United last week if they were satisfied with one win in their maiden season.
“Everyone was like ‘nah’. They’re not just happy with that one win. They’re hungry for more. We feel like these next three games there are definitely opportunities. I’m not going to sit here and say we’ll get all three wins…but I think we can definitely get one or two.
“Based on how we’ve been playing I don’t think we’d be happy coming away from the season with just a win, which is funny because if you asked me that before the start of the season I’d probably be extremely, extremely happy. We’re trying to hold ourselves to higher standards now.”
The Phoenix also now have the added incentive of trying to avoid the wooden spoon. “Okay we’ve got our first win but now actually as a team, they want to get off the bottom of the table and they feel like it’s achievable,” Lewis said.
Above: Wellington Phoenix celebrations during their historic win over Canberra United. Photo: Canberra United.
“I think we’ve proved we’re not pushovers for the whole season and…now we’re not going to be the definite team to come last.”
However, tomorrow’s opponents Adelaide United come into the game after putting in one of the performances of the season having demolished Brisbane Roar 8-2 on Sunday, with Fiona Worts scoring five goals.
“This game will be really interesting. Two teams that are coming off a high and I’m really hoping we’ll see both teams at a really good standard. I think that it’ll be an exciting game to watch if Adelaide come out really strong and if we come out really strong in the things that we are known for then I think it will really be a battle. It’s definitely a game that we’re targeting. We feel like it’s a good match-up.”
The Phoenix will have a new captain on Thursday night, with vice-captain Kate Taylor out with a back injury in addition to regular captain Lily Alfeld’s international responsibilities.
“The game’s come around a bit too soon for Kate, which is a really disappointing for one for us,” Lewis said. She hasn’t trained all week. We probably could get her on the field, but we feel like it’s too much of a risk on this tight turnaround. This is an 18-year-old girl and this is her back. We definitely have to err on the side of caution before we start taking crazy measures with huge painkillers or any local anaesthetics.”
On a positive note forward Kelli Brown is a possibility of returning against Adelaide, after missing the team’s past five matches with concussion.
“If she gets through today then technically she would be cleared to play. But we just want to really, really make sure with her so we’re definitely leaving it till very much last minute.
“She trained this morning and a lot of this morning she was doing headers and set plays and things like that so we just want to make sure she gets through the day symptom free.”
Defender Cushla Rue is a chance of making her debut after being cleared to return from an ankle injury which has side-lined her for three matches.
Above: Sarina Wiegman and Leah Williamson captured during today’s media conference. Photo: FA.
by Ben Gilby (16/2/22)
England head coach Sarina Wiegman and captain Leah Williamson met with the media today ahead of tomorrow’s Arnold Clark Cup match with Canada at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
Wiegman goes into the game in unique circumstances under her tenure. It is the first game in charge for her where England are not the overwhelming favourites. In terms of squad and availability, Wiegman revealed that everyone goes into the opening match with Canada fit and healthy.
When asked by Impetus about what she wants to see from her team over the coming week bearing in mind the Lionesses have found it hard to get consistent results against the top nations in the world, England’s head coach was brutally honest.
“I’m aware of the situation England were in with these teams before I came in. The pressure is high in these upcoming games. I want to see what we’re like in possession, out of possession, and in transition against the best. We’ll see where it goes. We have a technical plan and want to develop a new style of play.
“We have a way of doing things on and off the pitch – creating clarity wherever we can and focusing on growth – being better each day. I want every member of staff to facilitate that to the players so they can grow.”
Wiegman went on to highlight the importance of playing these three nations in particular. “They each have very different styles of play and for me, that is an important challenge in our growth and how we best approach them and then evaluate.
“We need these games because we want to be exposed to every aspect of the game – defense, possession, and transition. After this tournament, we’ll know better about where we are in terms of preparing for the Euros.
Above: England manager Sarina Wiegman highlighted the importance of the team’s three matches over the next week in preparations for the European Championships. Photo: FA.
“We want to try out things in these three matches but also be aware that we need to manage player loads within developing our style. Three games in six days is a lot, along with the schedule that players have with their club sides.”
England’s head coach knows that despite being the host nation, there are a whole host of countries who are capable of lifting the European Championship trophy at Wembley this July. She believes that being able to compete with the best such as the three sides competing at the Arnold Clark Cup can help to see England over the line.
“There are lots of teams who will go into the Euros thinking they should win it. More and more countries are favourites for this competition. Far more so than the previous tournament and from the European sides’ perspective in the World Cup. I’m convinced that we will be ready for 6th July when the Euros start.
“The players and myself like the fact that we play across the country so that we can connect with our fans in different parts of the country. They can be the 12th woman for us which can be exciting for them and for us. We can play well with that with energy and be dynamic from the crowd.”
Whilst hosting the Euros is a big positive for the country and team, Wiegman also knows it will not be without its difficulties.
“It’s all about pressure, decision making under pressure. In terms of everything all around the team. That pressure coming from outside, we’re talking about it already to prepare for it. We are turning around every stone to be prepared to ensure the less new things we come across during the tournament the better.”
Finally, asked specifically about the strengths of tomorrow’s opponents, Wiegman said: “Canada are a team… they are a real team. They have lots of structure both in possession and out of possession. They are able to use their strengths which is quality.”
Above: England captain Leah Williamson speaking to the media today. Photo: FA.
Leah Williamson spoke of her joy at being back in the Lionesses squad as well as highlighting the changes in the camp since Sarina Wiegman took over.
“I’m very happy to be in the squad, fit, and to pick up where I left off having missed the November international camp. It’s not about the captaincy, more about being here and in the team.”
That November international window included England’s 20-0 win success against Latvia. Whilst the headlines surrounded the Lionesses’ ease in winning, Williamson highlighted the positives in terms of the relentless nature of the performance.
“In terms of the 20-0 win, it offers a challenge as you have to keep that focus and standard. However, these games now will allow us to see where our real strengths are and what we need to tighten up in.”
Impetus asked the Arsenal star how to reflect on the differences she has noticed in camp since Wiegman and her staff took over.
“The dynamic of the team has changed. We have realized that we have underachieved in the last few tournaments. We want to turn that around and that’s a collective push to reach a higher standard and need to bring out the best in everyone.
“This is the most competitive training that I’ve been involved in for a long time here and the fight for positions, to reach your potential is all tying in nicely. We get an opportunity to learn more about ourselves which is a gift ahead of the Euros in the summer.”
Tomorrow’s match sees a reunion with Bev Priestman, who was Phil Neville’s assistant under a previous Lionesses regime. Williamson identified the Priestman’s qualities and what she is expecting from Canada.
“Bev was involved in a lot of our defensive traits when she worked with us previously. Looking at Canada now you can really see that with her and she has lots of pace in the squad and she’s utilizing it. Bev has them playing a very efficient style which wasn’t really the case when she was with us.
Talking about the feeling of being awarded the captain’s armband for Thursday’s game, Williamson said: “I didn’t think I could ever be prouder of playing for England, but this gives it something even more special. We come together as a team from different places, different clubs and have a chance to bring people together and as captain, I have a part to play in that.
“I’ve been really lucky in terms of playing under lots of different captains and different types of captain. Some just lead on the pitch with their performance, some are very vocal. Having the exposure to those different styles is a big help.”
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