Renée Slegers was back in front of the media for her pre-Crystal Palace press conference on Friday.
Speaking at the Sobha Realty Training Centre ahead of Sunday's Subway Women's League Cup quarter-final at VBS Community Stadium.
Here's everything she had to say on the following subjects...
**on Sarina Wiegman saying we need more female coaches and how we make that happen:**
I think two important things, it’s role models, which linking back to Sarina, Sarina has been for me always. I think that’s important, so you know, you see that there is a pathway and there are opportunities, and then I think it’s giving everyone an opportunity to educate. So if all federations keep doing a good job to make sure to push that forward and give everyone opportunities, I think that’s two really important things in my opinion.
**on what we’ve seen of Crystal Palace this season, Jo Potter, and Rehanne Skinner leaving West Ham:**
Of course, we are preparing for the game. So we have been looking at the footage, but if you look at how the season has gone, they’re of course on a very good run, I think five wins, a good win last Wednesday as well, so they’re building. If you look at their team, there is a lot of experience in the squad, WSL experience. So definitely it looks like on a good run. Going back to the manager and how long and short your time can be at clubs, it’s a demanding role, of course. I think for everyone involved, it's very important that you’re all going in the same direction. I just want to give my support to all coaches because I know how hard work it is, and knowing some of them, how much investment there is. But really impressive what Crystal Palace have done so far.
**on Dutch player Ashleigh Weerden playing for Palace:**
I think she did really well in the Netherlands in the Eredivisie and made the step, so even though they came out of the WSL, she stayed. I thought she was good last year and she’s doing well this season as well. I think she brings a lot of threat with her speed and her intuitive type of play, the threat in and around the box, so she’s doing really well, so that’s nice to see.
**on if she’s a player worth marking:**
Marking is also dangerous, if you lose your marker, she’s free, so we’ll see what the strategy will be on Sunday!
**on Jenna Nighswonger and the latest team news:**
No, Jenna hasn’t been on pitch so she won’t be available for Crystal Palace. Vic \[Pelova\] returned from illness today, so she was on pitch today, so we’ll see how she goes tomorrow. So if tomorrow goes well, she will be available on Sunday.
**on what to expect from Palace:**
What we’ve seen of them so far is, if I summarise it, they liked to spend time in the attacking half and they press really high. Very aggressive, high pressure, but then from their own half, they can be quite direct getting into the attacking half, so that’s what we’re expecting. Again, preparing for different scenarios, because they might choose to do something differently on Sunday. But that’s what we’ve seen of them so far and they’ve been effective of course, especially the last five games.
**on the January transfer window:**
Always looking in the here and now, and into the future and see how we keep on building and make the squad as strong as possible. I think there will be little movement, it will be around something like you were mentioning, as it stands. So really happy with the squad where we are at, I think we’ve definitely found some stability and consistency in what we’re doing with the players that we have at the moment that’s really positive. We’re definitely not desperate, we’re really happy with what we’re doing, but like I said, always looking to strengthen when we can.
**on if Jenna might leave in January:**
We’ll have to look at what’s good for the team and what’s good for Jenna. So I think when we have something to share or communicate, we will, but of course it’s about Jenna and what’s good for her at her stage in her career.
**on if Leah Williamson could start on Sunday:**
Yeah, so she's made two appearances now. Really good. And we saw in training that she was doing really well. And yeah, we're definitely looking to progress her minutes to put her in the best place possible when we come back, of course. So yeah, you'll see on Sunday, but she'll definitely be on the pitch on Sunday as it stands now.
**on Leah’s partnership with Lotte Wubben-Moy:**
Well, we have five top centre-backs in our squad at the moment. Unfortunately, Katie Reid is not available, but we have the four available now with Leah back, which is good. So we have a lot of options. I think with bringing Leah back and giving her minutes in her return to play, we have been in positions where we could make decisions that are good for the team, that were good for Leah, but also for certain individuals. We have a couple of players on really high loads with a lot of minutes. So that's also always in the back of our heads. So that's been mainly the considerations in those two games. But yeah, like I said, she's available for minutes on Sunday and very likely you'll see her on the pitch.
**on the Champions League draw pitting us against OH Leuven again:**
Of course, watched the draw. And yeah, it's Leuven again. I think I'm happy with quite some things in our performance against Leuven. It was professional. I think quite some things we did was play to our own strengths and we nullified their threat, which we knew beforehand. Second half, they often come out differently and more aggressive higher, which they did. We managed that. And I think we scored the third goal in a really important moment in the game. But my reaction to the draw is like, it's a draw. There's no control. It's a draw. But what we need to do is, what our aim is for these two games in the knockout phase is to get through. And the difference is, now it's not only one game, but it's over two games. So yeah, we'll of course analyse this game closely, which they will do as well. And then we try to get as ready as possible for those two games.
**on the impact of the winter break on Leah’s fitness:**
Yeah, you can't plan these things. But I think, yeah, we can't underestimate the demands in the rehab process, both mentally and physically. So she definitely also needs a break. And it's, of course, always special times that you can spend with family and friends and re-energise. So I think it's actually okay. Like I said, you can't control these timings, but it's actually okay for her. I think for the team as well. We're happy with how things are going at the moment. So initially, you feel like we want to keep on playing. We don't want a break as a team. But we do need a break, a refresh, because we know how big the second half of the season will be and how many games we're going to play. So I think it comes at a good time. Can't control it anyway.
**on finishing fifth in the Champions League group phase:**
Never frustrated about playing \[more\] games. We love to play games. I think in those six games, the one standing out for me and for all of us is Bayern away. We're performing well and we're ahead 2-0. Not give it away, because Bayern change things and they have a lot of quality. But from our perspective, we give it away. So that's the frustrating one. There could have been more points for us in that game, and then you are in a different position in the table. But it is what it is. I think after that, at least, we were on a really good run, taking the full points in those games. From that point onwards, I think that's all we could do. Get those nine points and end up fifth in the table. But playing games is always good, and we like that.
**on if she ever managed against Kyra Cooney-Cross in Sweden:**
I don't think I have managed against her, or have I? Do you know? I have really bad memory, by the way. I can see it in front of me, but I don't know if it's actually happened. But I've seen her play a lot for Hammarby. I just can't exactly remember if I've coached against her. You look that up for me, I'll look it up as well. No, but the step from the Swedish league to the WSL is quite big. But you see quite some players have made that step. You see quite some Scandinavian players in the WSL who are doing really well. So I think the Damallsvenskan prepares you in certain ways for the WSL. I've always thought that, tactically, on quite a high level, the coaching, from what I've seen, I think there's a certain mindset and mentality that I like. In the teams that I've worked with, in the league and in Scandinavia. Especially, I don't know if that's just a taste thing for me. I think it's a good step, and that step is doable. We've seen a lot of players doing it. It does take, I think, especially if you go to, say, top four or top five. You can expect it to take some time to integrate. Not only from a football perspective, but just life in general. But yeah, we'll look it up if I've coached against Kyra.
**on why we’ve had an upturn in form in December:**
You always do it together. We're not done yet, so it feels strange to review the block. There's one important game left to play in two days. But I think at the start of the block, I mentioned that these games are probably going to look different. Because we face different types of opposition, so that also means it needs something else from us. And I think as a whole, we've adjusted that really well. Both the players on the pitch and everyone in the background, including the analysts and all the other coaches. So that's been good. That's been working well. But that's been a really good investment from the players.
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