Head coach Shaun Howes caught up with canaries.co.uk to discuss the recent Vitality FA Cup clash against Burnley and looked ahead to Sunday’s game.
First of all, happy new year, Shaun! Are you looking forward to being back at The Nest for our first home game of 2023?
Happy New Year! Yes, it feels like a long time since we have played a competitive game at The Nest. We are looking forward to playing in front of, hopefully, a big and loud crowd as I know the girls love it and thrive off the support everyone gives them.
It’s our first league match since mid-October – is it nice to be able to turn our focus back to our end-of-season goals?
The FA Cup run was great and we really enjoyed the challenges each game gave us and the girls can be really proud of what they achieved in the competition but yes, it will be nice to get back to league games and focus on trying to maintain the start we have made. We are still very much learning and growing as a squad and we understand that we are still developing and not at our full potential yet, but each game allows us to learn and grow a little bit more.
We played Burnley in the third round of the FA Cup earlier this month. What did you make of the team performance against a tough side in a league above?
To take a team that are in a league above, only lost one competitive game in 2022, and are currently unbeaten in their league so close was great and the players came off the pitch so proud of themselves. If I am honest we didn’t start great and the game could have been lost in the first 15 minutes but for some last ditch defending and good saves from Bryony.
After that, I thought our game plan worked well and on another day the three chances that hit the woodwork go in and the result is very different. The most important thing that we can take from the game is that when we all work really hard we can be a match for any team.
How are the two new signings Mary Croft and Elouise Morran settling in?
Really well, Eloise made her debut as a sub in the Burnley game and did great and Mary will feature in the team soon. Both have fit into the squad really well
Wimbledon are right on our heels in the league and should prove a challenge for the team this weekend. How do you feel ahead of the game?
For me, Wimbledon are the best set up club in our league and probably two or three years ahead of where we want to be, in terms of structure and professionalism. They have been integrated into their main club for some time now and you can see that right throughout the club, with their professionalism, coaching staff and playing squad and they will definitely be very close to promotion this season. In my time here, we have had some really good, close games and I have a lot of respect for their manager, staff and players. Hopefully, it will be another close game and exciting for the spectators, and one which we come out on top of.