As Everton begin their season in FA WSL 2, Lindsay Johnson spoke to Andy Lamb about the club’s plans to return to the top tier at the first attempt.
AL: You started the campaign with a win against Villa – what kind of a game was it?
LJ: It wasn’t our best performance, we have done well pre-season, though the most important thing was the 3 points and that’s what we got. Over the course of the game we definitely deserved the points but we made hard work of it. We have a big squad at the moment and Andy is still trying a few things out.
AL: The pre-season started early – how important was that for everyone to get back as soon as possible?
LJ: It was important, everyone knows we lost a number of high profile players and needed to get players into the team. That’s why Andy [Spence] wanted us to get players in and we started back before the New Year. It has been a long pre-season but we have had the opportunity to get progressively better
AL: There seemed a time where someone was leaving every other day – how did the news of Rachel Brown-Finnis’s retirement and Jody Handley affect you personally?
LJ: Rachel and Jody are very close friends of mine both in football and my personal life. I know the trials and tribulations for both of them. Browny has had injuries for a number of years now, yet she just gets on with things so people on the outside don’t realise how much it’s affected her. She’s got to start thinking of her future and as she’s had such a successful career no-one could say it’s the wrong or right time for her and it was hard to see her go.
Jody is the same – she has had a tough couple of years since the super league started and she hasn’t been able to come through those injuries. It has been difficult. though I am glad she’s gone on and moved to Doncaster. So it has been hard though it means that others in the squad now have the opportunity to step up.
AL: How have the new signings settled in?
LJ: They’ve been great and are already showing good qualities. They’re young and keen to learn. We needed some new faces as we start afresh and move forward. It’s given us a larger squad with competition for places which is useful week-in and week-out.
AL: How much support locally is there for the team and their intentions of getting straight back up at the first attempt?
LJ: It’s no secret we want to get back into FA WSL 1, The club has always been behind us – I mean – I’ve been at the club 12 years and club has always supported us – they might not always have the money at their disposal as other teams – but regards to training and physio, they have always been there for us. They want to do all they can for us to get back into the top tier, where we belong
AL: How different do you expect the standard between the leagues?
LJ: Ha yeah, it was a really physical game v Villa and a lot of the games will be quite physical but I think every game will be a tough game and all we can do is take it a game at a time. I think we are all aware of the teams’ strengths in the league and where we can exploit them
AL: Have you set yourself any personal aims this season?
LJ: My fitness and athleticness gets me through the season OK usually, so the main aim is getting Everton back to FA WSL 1
Mark Sampson hasn’t named his Canada squad either yet so you never know (laughs). Well, if he wants experience, he needs to look this way.
AL: He brought Katie Chapman back
LJ: Yeah he did and now he should be looking further afield – never say never, hey?
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