After several false dawns for Chelsea’s Gilly Flaherty, she is now starting in the England side and put in another excellent display against the world’s second ranked side…
Several players impressed against Germany in the 0-0 draw in Duisburg, one of those that caught the eye was centre back Flaherty who was strong, robust, measured and barely put a foot wrong all game. We spoke to her after the game…
SK: Well player Gilly, did you enjoy that?
GF: Yeah I did. I just went into the changing rooms there and said, ‘I didn’t really want the game to finish,’ and I didn’t want half time to come because I was enjoying the first half. I really enjoyed it. It’s those kinds of games that you like playing in as a centre back. Physical, one v one battles. We had our jobs as centre backs to make sure the forward and the 10 was quiet and I think we did our jobs well.
SK: You must have watched games like that on TV for years and thought, ‘I fancy that,’ and now you’re out there and looking like a totally natural fit? How does that feel?
GF: I said today I never thought I’d be in this position. I’m still in shock, to be fair. When I found out I was playing I was a bit, ‘Wow,’ playing Germany who are second in the world so it was a big test for me personally but the girls were great around me, it just left like I’d been there all my life. Playing with the girls, it just felt natural to me and hopefully it will continue for many years to come.
SK: Are you simply doing what you’ve always done or is it the partnership with Steph [Houghton] that means you’ve just slotted in so naturally?
GF: I think it’s a bit of both actually. I played with Steph at Arsenal and I really enjoy playing with her, she talks non-stop to me, helps me out. And KB has been massive behind me as well, I just said to her earlier, ‘Keep talking to me,’ because sometimes I can switch off a little bit but I like a keeper to be on me. With Steph, it’s a case of if I go in I know she is going to cover me and if she goes in I’m going to cover her, it’s that partnership and hopefully that can continue for the foreseeable future really. But I know whomever I play with, even with Alex Greenwood coming in on the left, it just feels natural playing with these girls.
SK: Coming back to Germany so soon after the disappointment against Wolfsburg in UWCL with Chelsea, was it good to keep a clean sheet and put that behind you a little?
GF: Yeah it was nice to come back, after the disappointment last week against Wolfsburg and we’ve been talking about it and people keep mentioning it, but to play against some of those players tonight and think ‘do you know what? I don’t believe or feel that they stood out. So it was nice to come here and battle and at times show that we are, well I felt, we were the better team.
SK: So, overall you’re excited and hoping to be playing on Sunday?
GF: Always. Although I respect that there’s a big squad here and there’s players that have been here a long time, in my position as well , it’s that respect that I’ve got for players ahead of me. They have untold numbers of caps, if I’m not playing it’s a chance for me to watch and learn off them whether that be from the bench or playing alongside them. You want to play every game but it’s a squad effort and whoever plays on Sunday I’m sure will go out there and hopefully grab the three points.
SK: You’re a great example to others of keep on doing what you can do every week and you will get your chance eventually?
GF: Every time I get called in I still don’t think I’m going to get picked. It’s that battle with myself as well but it’s appreciation, knowing that it has been snatched away from me before and it can be snatched away from me again. So every camp I’m on, every game I’m playing, every minute, I’m so appreciative of it and don’t want it to stop because I don’t want it to be the last. Hopefully, fingers crossed, I can stay in it now and push on as the years go on.
SK: Does being a double winner give you extra confidence?
GF: [Laura] Bass and [Casey] Stoney said to me before the game, ‘Do what you’ve done all year, you deserve it.’ When you get that title of being a champion I think people look at you a little differently and they expect a bit more from you as well. Coming here and having to step up, I am not only representing England but I’m representing Chelsea. I spoke to Emma Hayes today and I said I’m going to do the best that I can to represent the Blues as well as England and she said, ‘I know, I trust you to go out there and do a job today.’
SK: Will you get to let your hair down next week for a time?
GF: I’ve booked to go on holiday on Tuesday. So, I’ll go away for a week and then it’s back to training in the off season, to keep ticking over before I go back to Chelsea in January. So, a week off, then I’ll only do one or two sessions a week, I need a break mentally and won’t be touching a football until January but I know I need to keep ticking over or I might put on a few pounds over Christmas!
