Learning lessons from an off-season field trip

Exploring differences between club and international football

Another match I was able to take in was the friendly between England and the USA at Wembley Stadium.

 

This was my first time returning to Wembley since I won a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

 

I never got to do the famous walk down Wembley Way that day, so taking in that walk to the arch was something that was really important to me.

 

It was a game that lacked real risk, as both teams seemed to nullify each other, with the USA clearly the more dominant team in almost all moments.

 

I loved seeing one of our own from Racing Louisville, Emma Sears, get her first start for the USA in this game.

 

Emma Hayes, coaching the USA against her home nation, called on a lot of young players, and you could tell they were finding their feet as a group.

 

England did the same in their friendly against Switzerland in Sheffield just four days later. I took a five-hour round trip train ride to explore a new city and a historic stadium – Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United.

 

I felt like I was in the presence of coaching greatness, watching Pia Sundhage in the Switzerland dugout and Sarina Wiegman just across from her – two giants of the women’s game.

 

Pia has a huge opportunity with Switzerland hosting the Euros next summer, and in this game she played some young and new players.

 

There was a lack of movement and creativity from both sides, but, in the end, England just about came through.

 

Manchester United’s Grace Clinton was a true standout, not only scoring the decisive game-winner, but, on the ball, playing well beyond her 21 years.

 

I also got to experience a WSL game in a main club stadium, as I returned to the Emirates Stadium to watch Arsenal women showcase their best attacking football in a 4-0 victory over Aston Villa.

 

It felt like I was watching exactly what creative, free-flowing football should be – just wave after wave of attack.

 

Going to the Emirates to watch a women’s game was special.

 

So often, women’s games are in remote places, hard to get to by public transport. This was taking place in a stadium that, in the past, has been solely home to the men’s team, but now plays host to the majority of the women’s team’s home games, too.

 

I loved seeing so much artwork around the stadium that celebrates the women’s team alongside the men’s.

 

We are so lucky at Racing Louisville to have our own dedicated stadium for the women’s team. It makes such a difference when the fans and players can call somewhere home.

 

Time to travel to footballing nations

One of the things that really stood out to me during my trip was the feeling of being in a country where football is everything.

 

In the UK, it dominates every single sports news line.

 

I was lucky enough to experience this when I was head coach of Tigres in Monterrey, Mexico. I couldn’t even go to the grocery store without someone stopping me!

 

Sometimes, that pressure can be a lot for a team and its coaching staff. However, being around those supporters created an extremely special bond with the players, and we always wanted to make those people very proud.

 

That’s normal for people in Europe, but in North America, generally, we don’t get to experience that.

 

Those of us involved in soccer in the USA and Canada sometimes feel like we are still fighting for attention in a fan space saturated by a number of other sports.

 

Because of the relatively small size of the UK, I was able to get to so many games very easily, taking the train and the London Underground metro system. I never even stepped foot in a car, which is a shock for anyone from the USA or Canada!

 

Football is such a part of everyone’s life in the UK, and that is a special thing to feel; to absorb people’s passion for the game.

 

I’ve been lucky enough to work for some amazing clubs, where I’ve met fans who live and breathe every second of a football game.

 

Those fans will stay in my heart, because that is the way I want to experience football.

 

To be immersed in a game that you love is a privilege, and that is why I enjoy travelling the world and getting to experience different football cultures.

 

Conclusion

The off-season is about mental and physical rest but it’s also about preparation.

 

Taking time to explore has allowed me to reflect on the season just gone, and also think about ways I can help my team achieve their goals in the next campaign.

 

Football coaching is a constant journey of learning and applying. I’m very lucky to have absorbed some insights from some of the best in the world during the recent off-season.