This and only this
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Found a brief interview with our Women's Captain Steph in advance of the WSL game against Arsenal Women this Sunday. Worth a read imo: http://www.shekicks.net/flog/blogs/post/994?
England and Manchester City captain Steph Houghton is set for what could be an emotional return to her old club Arsenal on Sunday, when she will face the Gunners for the first time since her January switch to the Etihad Stadium.
The central defender spent three years with Arsenal, winning the Women’s Super League, the FA Cup and the Continental Cup and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League while also establishing herself in the England team.
Looking ahead to City’s Sunday trip to Borehamwood for their WSL1 encounter, Houghton said: “It will be strange going back, getting changed in the away dressing room then playing against girls I’ve known so well as team mates.
“I’m close to a lot of the players and the manager, and I know the fans well too. But I’ll have to keep my emotions in check and be as professional as I can be to help Manchester City hopefully get our first win of the WSL season.”
City lost their opening two WSL1 games as they entered the top flight for the first time, but they have bounced back well with Continental Cup wins against first Everton and then, on Wednesday evening, League champions Liverpool.
Their slow start to the campaign was perhaps due in some part to the media attention and huge expectation placed on them because of the way that the ‘megabucks’ club have swept all before them in the men’s Premier League.
“The way we were built up before the season was a bit harsh,” said Houghton. “We are at the start of a long term project with a number of players who have not played in the top flight before, so any success was never going to be instant.
“But we’ve improved with every game and did really well in a very big test against Liverpool on Wednesday night. Now we’ve got just as tough a game against Arsenal, maybe even tougher because I think they’re still the best.
“Getting a point there would be a good result, but we’ll be aiming to win the game. We’re trying to establish ourselves as a WSL1 club, and if we can get the result we want on Sunday that would be a big stride towards doing that.”
The central defender spent three years with Arsenal, winning the Women’s Super League, the FA Cup and the Continental Cup and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League while also establishing herself in the England team.
Looking ahead to City’s Sunday trip to Borehamwood for their WSL1 encounter, Houghton said: “It will be strange going back, getting changed in the away dressing room then playing against girls I’ve known so well as team mates.
“I’m close to a lot of the players and the manager, and I know the fans well too. But I’ll have to keep my emotions in check and be as professional as I can be to help Manchester City hopefully get our first win of the WSL season.”
City lost their opening two WSL1 games as they entered the top flight for the first time, but they have bounced back well with Continental Cup wins against first Everton and then, on Wednesday evening, League champions Liverpool.
Their slow start to the campaign was perhaps due in some part to the media attention and huge expectation placed on them because of the way that the ‘megabucks’ club have swept all before them in the men’s Premier League.
“The way we were built up before the season was a bit harsh,” said Houghton. “We are at the start of a long term project with a number of players who have not played in the top flight before, so any success was never going to be instant.
“But we’ve improved with every game and did really well in a very big test against Liverpool on Wednesday night. Now we’ve got just as tough a game against Arsenal, maybe even tougher because I think they’re still the best.
“Getting a point there would be a good result, but we’ll be aiming to win the game. We’re trying to establish ourselves as a WSL1 club, and if we can get the result we want on Sunday that would be a big stride towards doing that.”