Page 14 - Women's Soccer Scene Issue No. 15 2020-21

Earlier this month, Northern Ireland qualified for a major women’s
tournament for the first time when they completed a 4-1 aggregate
victory over Ukraine in the play-offs.
We talked to midfielder Sarah McFadden, who has played a
major role in her side’s greatest achievement to date and she spoke to
us about their successful campaign and hopes for the future:
WSS: Congratulations from all of us Sarah! Has it sunk in
yet, what this Northern Ireland team has achieved and in
a relatively short space of time?
SM: Not really to be honest and I don’t think it will until we are
walking out at the Euros next summer. On Tuesday I was walking
into work and I forgot the play-offs were over and we won them. I
had to pinch myself, it was as if the past few weeks were a dream!
WSS: How big a difference has Kenny Shiels made since he
took over the job?
SM: Kenny and his background staff have been amazing, they have
just changed the whole mentality of our team and for us all as
individuals, winning is the only option no matter who we play.
Every training session we do is always related to how we are going to play and every
situation that we might face in that game is covered. The detail we are provided on other
teams and how we are going to beat other teams is more than I have ever experienced in all
my years of football. When we go into matches, I am not even that nervous any more as I know
the sidelines will problem-solve anything and I know what my job is, so I just have to do it.
The main difference and why we have been successful though is the improvement of the
home-based players training three to four times a week with Kenny and his team. They have
all shown so much dedication over the past year and that has shown in their performances,
with seven of them starting in the play-off games last month and many others being used
throughout the campaign. They have stepped up and it's really showing when you now have
such competition across the squad and this improves everyone.
WSS: The group didn't start well with two heavy defeats against Norway, but
that turn out to be a blessing in disguise?
SM:We got a lot of confidence out of both games, even though we did suffer heavy defeats. We
didn’t change our philosophy and it was really early in our journey. We knew if we could play
out from the back through the midfield against Norway, we could do it against anyone in our
group. Again it was about us not being scared to do anything against them and that has
helped us for the remainder of the campaign.
WSS: Do you think that the 2-2 draw away to Wales was a pivotal moment for
you, performance wise as well as the result?
SM: At the time we didn’t realise how important Ashley Hutton’s goal would have been. We
played very well and I don’t think Wales expected us to play how we did. We went toe to toe
with a team of professional players and matched them all over the field and that give us
confidence again. Only a few years previously we had played Wales and got beaten well off
them twice. They were far superior to us so again the improvement in such a short time was
evident for all of us to see.
WSS: After a great win in Belarus, was that the moment that you felt you could
get the runners-up spot?
SM: When our keeper got sent off, I am not going to lie, I thought the dream was over but then
Furney [Rachel Furness] scored that header at the back post and that’s when I thought this is
written in the stars for us. After the game - I wish it was filmed - but we all stood holding each
other, praying and watching the Norway v Wales game knowing that if Norway beat Wales
it was back in our hands. When the result came through, it was when we thought this is our
time, we are going to do this.
Issue no. 15 - 29 April 2021 news@womenssoccerscene.co.uk