Press Conference | Bristol City vs Birmingham City

Bristol City Women boss Charlotte Healy previews facing second placed Birmingham City, changes in staffing structure and reflects on a first season with City. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Charlotte, how how has uh how has this week been? Obviously boyed on since the win from last weekend.

SPEAKER_00 0:05

Yeah, absolutely. It was a really good result for us. Um really important result. I think there's lots of the performance um that we were happy with, and then there's elements of the performance that you know we want to make sure that this week we do even better. So um look, I think it was a moment that we can we can celebrate. Um, you know, Charlton have had an unbelievable year, and you know, to be only the second team that have beaten them in over a year is a testament to the group and how well they did on Sunday, but we're under no illusions how tough this weekend is going to be as well. And um, you know, we have to make sure that we we take the spirit and the fight that we showed on Sunday into this weekend, and that we make sure that our standards are as high as they can be and and we take the game to Birmingham.

SPEAKER_02 0:46

Yeah, Birmingham team, you've already played twice this season. Um and and unfortunately, not beaten. Does that does that kind of play on your mind at all? And and how will that help you going into Sunday's game?

SPEAKER_00 0:57

Yeah, I mean, look, we played them first game of the season, and it was a real tough day at the office for us in terms of performance and result. Um, but I think we adapted really well after that, and actually our reaction to to losing that game was really pleasing from my point of view. And, you know, we've we've come such a long way since that game. Um, and I think you'll see that on Sunday. I think, you know, to play them again a couple of weeks later back at St Andrews and put in the performance that we did was a testament to the group and probably showed a reflection of you know the fact that that performance didn't really reflect that first game, didn't really reflect um the quality of this group. So look, we know the threats Birmingham will cause us. They're a good team, they've invested a lot of money, they've built over a number of years now, um, and they're a very physical team. So they absolutely can cause teams problems, but we also know that we can cause Birmingham problems, and we have to be good tactically on Sunday. We have to be aggressive and we have to make sure that um you know we hurt them when we get the opportunities to.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

Yeah, similarly a team, excuse me, in Birmingham that scores lots of goals as well. Uh, obviously behind behind you guys, so like Crossweight and Sari, third and fourth um top scorers in the in the league, respectively, behind you know, Bristol City and and Lloyd Smith and Hardy. Um now that I've said that though, I'm sure it's going to be a nil-nil game.

SPEAKER_00 2:17

Yeah, I mean, look, but we this uh you know the two teams playing are first and second in terms of goals scored in the league, first and second in terms of XG created in the league. So um what we know is both teams can create opportunities, and I think you'll see that on Sunday. And I think it will be about which team defends better, which team is better organised, which team has the most fight and will to put the body on the line and and defend as as bravely as we can. And and then ultimately who is most ruthless in front of goal um when we get the opportunities that the game presents to us, how ruthless can we be in those moments to take our opportunities like we did on Sunday?

SPEAKER_02 2:55

I suppose similar to the game against Charlton last Sunday, is that that these are the teams you want to be playing against if you are gonna move up the division and get into WSL1 as well.

SPEAKER_00 3:05

Yeah, absolutely. I think look, you've got to take points wherever you can in this league. I think it's uh, you know, I think everybody will tell you it's not as simple as, you know, taking for granted the games at the bottom of the table. I think you know, the bottom of that table is incredibly tight and and everybody's fighting for their lives and and picking up points everywhere. So um, you know, these of course are tough games and they're games with a lot of riding on them, but ultimately every game has a lot of riding on it. And, you know, when I reflect on this season, we we probably need to do more against teams in and around us in terms of results that we pick up. Um, you know, Sunday was a moment for us in terms of beating the league leaders, but we have to continue to do that against teams around us and and you know pick up those points. And um, you know, Sunday, like I said, will be a tough test, but you know, I really believe in these players and I believe in the group we've got. And um, you know, I know that if we show the best of ourselves, we give ourselves an opportunity to win the game.

SPEAKER_02 4:00

And team news ahead of Sunday. I spoke to you last weekend and seemed like Ella Powell's in the wars uh in that game. How's she doing? And uh is there anyone that misses out ahead of uh the weekend?

SPEAKER_00 4:09

Yeah, she had a few batterings, didn't she? So she's uh she's okay, yeah, she's fine. Um, we've obviously got Harley back now, too. Um, Daff obviously got um 30 minutes at the weekend, which is great news for us. So, yeah, we've got players coming back into the squad now, which really helps um in terms of our squad depth, and uh yeah, makes picking a team really difficult to be honest.

SPEAKER_02 4:30

That's a good problem to have, isn't it? Thank you, Charlotte. See you Sunday.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

Thank you, Josh. Take care.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Hello, Charlotte.

SPEAKER_00 4:37

Hi Andrew, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 4:39

I'm alright, happy birthday.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 4:42

Are you having a nice day?

SPEAKER_00 4:44

It's a bit soggy, but it's uh it's been nice, thanks.

SPEAKER_01 4:47

You're doing anything nice later?

SPEAKER_00 4:50

Uh not sure, not really got anything planned yet. Got to uh got to get some work done first.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

So okay, fair enough. Maybe you'll have a lovely time on Sunday, but we'll wait and see.

SPEAKER_00 4:58

I hope so. Yeah, that'd be nice.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Yeah. Um is um Alexi Lloyd Smith scored a bit of a wonder girl, didn't she, at the weekend? Is she still maintaining she meant that?

SPEAKER_00 5:06

Absolutely. I think uh yeah. I mean, look, I actually think it was quite a difficult finish because it was deflected really close to us. So um, yeah, look, we speak to the players about being ruthless, and you know, we've had two shots on target on Sunday and scored both. So um it's a start I'll take.

SPEAKER_01 5:22

Yeah, fair enough. Um Maria Frigia came back as well into the into the team there. I thought she played. What was your feeling on that?

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Yeah, I thought everybody did well. I you know, I I was really pleased with the performance. I think we wanted to play slightly different on Sunday um than we had done previously, and I thought it worked really well for us. Um, I thought you know, we kept we kept the width well. I thought it allowed our wide players to go wide and deliver. Um, I thought Vera did really well in the 10 as well. Um, so it was really pleasing for us. And I said after the game, I think to Josh actually, that you know it's difficult because the players have to be patient. Um, you know, they've they've been really professional, both of them, and they've worked really hard in training and and they got their opportunity and they took it. And that's what we need from the group because different teams pose different problems, and we need different squad members at different times. So um, yeah, I was really pleased with with those guys coming in on Sunday. I thought they impacted the game really well. You know, Vera wins the corner for the first goal, um, you know, and and Faz and Vera are both involved in the second goal. So um, yeah, I was really pleased with both of them, and I think look it's the game is about more than just the goals and the assists, but of course, that is uh a really important part as well.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

Yeah, I've uh you've so so that game against Charlton, right? You've got Birmingham on Sunday, um, top two sides. Is it the same again, or is this a very different team that you're facing on Sunday?

SPEAKER_00 6:48

I think it's the same again in lots of ways, in terms of the mentality that we're gonna need. Um, the togetherness that we showed. I thought it was a real team performance on Sunday. Um, I thought we defended better than we have done. Um, I thought there was a real fight and spirit about us, and we're absolutely going to need that on Sunday. I think in terms of the teams, Birmingham are very different to Charlton. Um, you know, Charlton are um effective at what they do. I think Birmingham's slightly more physical, um, lots of rotations. Um, you know, why players that look to cut in and shoot and get on the outside and deliver with Crossway and Sarry. And um, you know, they've they've invested in some really good players, that that's for sure. And you know, when you watch their games, that those players have have found moments to win games for Birmingham. So we have to be aware absolutely of their individual threat and the the way that Birmingham like to play. But um, you know, what we can't overdo is is look at the opposition more than we normally would. I think um it's really clear to us how Birmingham are going to play and and the threats that they have and the quality that they have. Um, but we've got quality too, and we've got threats, and we have to make sure that this game is about us as well, that we do the things we need to do to nullify their threats, but we hurt them in the moments that that we can and and the opportunities that the game provides us. We have to make sure that that we're really clinical and we're ruthless and that we're brave enough to take those moments when we get them.

SPEAKER_01 8:13

You speak about getting the ball into the box there, and um, I was particularly enjoying some of those crosses that were coming in from Katie Robinson at the weekend. Um I imagine Rio Hardy's hoping to get on the end of a couple of those, but she's back from suspension, right?

SPEAKER_00 8:27

She's back from suspension, yeah. So obviously having her back in, you know, she was a loss last weekend. I think um the players that came in did a really good job, and and that's a testament to the group. But of course, Rio um is was a loss to us last weekend given the contributions this season. So absolutely, she's back um available for selection. Um, and again, yeah, it's it's competitive to to get in this team now.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

See, the strut was on the bench as well. It's like I'm I don't know if I'm pronouncing her name correctly.

SPEAKER_00 8:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:55

Um, but is she uh is she fully available for selection?

SPEAKER_00 8:59

Exactly, yeah, available for selection. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

Okay, great. Um there was another thing that I thought was quite interesting. Um correct me if I'm wrong on this, but it looks like you've been working with Bristol City with Catapult for a while and and using data, the data that they provide, um, which is specifically about women's bodies and women in sport, and that's now spread across Mercury. Is that right? Is that the way that's gone?

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Yeah, yeah. So they have um obviously put a partnership together across um the multi-club. So so all three clubs now will yeah, use catapult. And I think a big part of what Mercury 13 want to do is make sure that things are built for women um and you know, systems, processes, data, you know, things that um previously maybe haven't been. Um so yeah, I think it's an exciting opportunity that you know our performance team have worked closely with Catapult to look at, okay, you know, what research can we do as and what research can Mercury 13 do as our ownership group, um, you know, to really invest in the data and invest in the women's sport science and um yeah, I guess, you know, move um sport science forward in that from that perspective.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

Would you get data from the other clubs as well, coming back to you then?

SPEAKER_00 10:12

Probably not from the other clubs, I wouldn't have thought, in terms of GDPR. I don't know. Um, but I would assume um, you know, that those things would stay in-house unless there's a shared agreement. I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

Uh in the second half on Sunday, for example, you're looking at making substitutions. Is that data feeding into what you're doing during the match?

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Yeah, I mean, look, it data for me is important and it and it really has a role, but I think um it's not, it has to come with context. So absolutely, you know, I have conversations with Molly, our sports scientist, regularly, um, certainly throughout the week in training. Um, we obviously have live data of where players are at, how much distance they've covered, um, high speed sprints, axels, diesels, all that stuff. Um, so of course that plays into uh you know, plays its part, but it's also on need of the team, it's on um, you know, feel of the game, um, you know, it's on tactical reasons as to who we might or might not need on the pitch at those moments. So um, yeah, for me, data's not the be all and end all, but absolutely it has a role and an important role in informing the decisions that we make.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

Okay. Um, I'm sorry to ask this, but there has been a managerial change in the men's side of the team. Can I get your reaction to it?

SPEAKER_00 11:24

Yeah, I mean, look, it's uh it's never nice to see a manager lose their job. So um, you know, obviously I'm I'm disappointed for for Gerhard, but we wish him well, you know. It's uh you know, it's yeah, like I said, it's uh I didn't know I was on the training pitch, so I've come back in and seen it as well. So um, yeah, I've not had uh any more scope on it than than you guys will have had. But yeah, from my point of view, it's uh you know, he's always been been nice to us and you know, yeah, we wish him well. And um obviously Roy will come in after the international break and we will look to make sure that we you know we build a relationship with him as well.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Okay, well I hope you have a lovely rest of your birthday and an even better Sunday. Good luck.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 12:08

Hi Charlotte, nice to meet you for the first time. Happy birthday.

SPEAKER_00 12:12

Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 12:14

Um it's uh another big game Sunday back-to-back weekends at uh Ashton Gate. Um compared to Charlton Athletic, you know, Charlton the best offensive team in division, you've got Birmingham City, the best attacking team in division. How are you looking to go into this one? Are you going to sort of approach it more or less the same as you know one of the top two uh teams in the league? Or are you sort of perhaps trying to look to frustrate Birmingham City because they haven't been on the best runner form as of late, especially when it comes to playing against you know fellow promotion-looking teams?

SPEAKER_00 12:52

Yeah. Yeah, I think look, we we've got to prepare for it the same way we prepare for any game. I think we've got to make sure that we nullify their threats because they've got some really big threats. Um, but we have to make sure that we have opportunities in the game too, and that we take our game to Birmingham City. We're at home, it's our home ground. Um, you know, and we have to set up in the way that we think best will hurt Birmingham. Um, so yeah, look, uh it's a game where I expect that there'll be numerous chances because both teams are are pretty high in terms of chances created and goals scored throughout the season. Um, but I think like I said, yeah, both teams will look to defend and and make sure that we nullify each other. But I think it will be a game of goals and chances, and we've got to make sure that we're the team that comes out on top.

SPEAKER_03 13:38

Staying with the defensive aspect of the game. Um, Sunday is a very big day for Gemma Lawley, not just you know, it being her former side as well, but she will have the experience from last season of you know coming extremely close to promotion, but you know, suffering the heartbreak of just not making it. We know that some of us bringing in like lots of big stars like Vicky Lasada, Sophie or Camilla Sides, but but how much are you sort of leaning on the experiences of players that have spent more or less the majority of their career in the WSL2, especially towards the latter crucial stage of the season?

SPEAKER_00 14:17

Yeah, yeah, it's really important because this league is like no other, to be honest. So um, you know, we speak a lot about this when we talk about recruitment, is you know, the league the leagues that we recruit players from is really important because what you don't want is it to take six months for somebody to settle in. Um so you know, the more experience we can have in the group who understand WSL2 football and know the level and um the ups and downs of the season and um you know the ebbs and flows that that comes with that is really important because what you can't do in this league is get too high with the highs and too low with the lows. Um, because you know, other than the the run Charlton have been on, you know, everybody at different times beats everybody across this season. So um, yeah, I think people like Gemma and you know other people in the league who've in the team, sorry, who've been in this league for a number of years have got that um I guess experience um that you know you just have to prepare and face every game as it comes, and you have to make sure that you don't miss details, that you don't look too far ahead, you don't look too far behind, you know, you don't look sideways for comparison, you know, you can look sideways for inspiration, but I think you be all we can do is focus on us, you know, and there's things that we've been really happy with this year, there's things that we're frustrated with, and there's things that we've not done well enough, but that happens to every team, and certainly when we're you know seven months into into our journey, that's that's very normal and it's very natural. But um, you know, naturally at the business end of the season, we want to make sure that we're picking up resorts against these teams and um you know we're showing the progress that we've made.

SPEAKER_03 15:55

Um you've spoken uh before this season on the sort of uh officiating stance, as it were, um making your opinions very well. No, and just opinions like that, because there have been some you know truly um quite poor decisions going against Bristol City this season that have obviously cost you points and it's probably made you know this end of the season a lot closer than it is needed to be. But last weekend you got a very experienced official in um this weekend. You also uh have um sort of a more WSL um sort of experience official. Has that been um I'm just curious, has that been um you know, if your calls with uh PGMOL have they been sort of just letting me know, okay, it's getting to the crucial end of the season. Now a lot of the big teams are playing each other in that playoff promotion race. We're gonna send you the best of our best in terms of officiating for these final few games.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

Yeah, I I don't know the answer to that to be honest. I think all I can do is, you know, stand up for the people I've got a voice for, which is Bristol City. And um, you know, I have to say that Rebecca Welsh is is very forthcoming in taking phone calls and and communicating with head coaches, which I think is really important. Um, you know, I think she does a really good job of that, and she takes the brunt of you know of frustrated managers on a Monday, and um, you know, she has honest conversations. Sometimes she agrees with us, sometimes she doesn't. But um, you know, I think look, she she knows the the challenges and she knows that um how important these games are, you know. Nobody she doesn't want to be taking course from me on a Monday morning, absolutely. Um, so look, I think you know, it's about getting the best referees available to referee um, you know, the games that have the most on them. I think that's that that's common sense, right? So um I think it's it's probably natural that you know at this stage of the season on these big games that we have more experienced referees, and I think um, you know, Sunday was a great example of the importance of that.

SPEAKER_03 18:05

Yeah. And I just wanted um a few final thoughts on yourself. Um obviously not quite sort of the first full season in the job, but this time last year, you know, Bristol City, we were quite far away from the promotion race to the WSL. We were more just sort of trying to stave off uh a poor uh end to the season or what you've brought this team on in like such a short time of being there. How how do you reflect on you know how well you've done in your first season as um you know coaching uh professional side?

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Yeah, I think there's things that I'm I'm really happy with. I think we've um what what we've what we've been through is so much change. I think probably people on the outside probably don't even know how much change that we've been through as a club. Um obviously coming in as a new manager, bringing in new backroom staff, um, 13 new players signed in the summer, uh, more new players signed in January, new ownership, um, huge turnover of staff in terms of new roles we've bought in and and advertised for and developed the workforce. So um I'm really, really proud of how hard people have worked and pulled together because um, you know, speaking for for other staff, some of them have really gone over and above, whilst we've you know restructured and um bought in new roles and um you know I think we've had some really good runs and some really good performances, and then we've had some probably frustrating performances, which um is natural, I think, in in where we're at in our journey. I think um the where I'm at the minute is I'm just incredibly excited for what's to come because um you know I uh this ownership has just injected inspiration into everybody in this football club, um, which is a really good place to be. And you see um, you know, the green shoots coming through at the minute of of what's going to be. And for me, there's so much untapped potential from where we're at now. And you know, I've just had a meeting now, and we're looking at, you know, the end of the season and pre-season and next season, and actually, you know, how do we get even better? Um, how do we run this program even better to be even more high performance, to to take this group to the next level, um, so that you know, we really are WSL ready and um you know, everything off the pitch runs as high performance like as it can to make sure that um you know the players have the best opportunity to come in and perform each day to make sure that you know we're in a position where you know we really are competing at the top of the table. So yeah, I'm really proud of the work we've done and I'm really pleased. I think I'm disappointed where we are currently in the table, but I think look, it's you know, I think we're three points off the place currently. So um we know how quickly things can change. And and like you said, I think you know, some results have have really harshly gone against us. I think, you know, in my opinion, it's not a reflection of of where we should be um with the with the performances we've had so far, but the reality is it's where we are, so we've got to get on with it. And um, you know, we've got to do our best to see the season out and um you know, put some really good performances and results together. And who knows where we'll be come the third of May. And, you know, that's the only day that it matters where you are on the table, I guess. So um, yeah, I'm proud of the work we've done and I'm excited for what's to come.