The pair crossed paths at Chelsea in the WSL as players, and Hourihan revealed that the pair spoke in the summer with Bleazard taking over as Bournemouth boss before the season start.
Bleazard and Hourihan meet in the dugout once again on Saturday in the National League Cup final as the Cherries face Plymouth at QPR, after the two faced off in the league last weekend.
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“Helen was very much a consummate professional,” Hourihan told the Daily Echo.
“She's very much had a footballing brain, was very analytical in the changing room.
Marie Hourihan, Manager of Plymouth Argyle Women during the FA WPL Premier Division match between Plymouth Argyle Women and Real Bedford Women on the 21st December 2025 Photo: Jack Tyler (Image: Jack Tyler/Plymouth Argyle)
“So I'm not surprised that obviously she's gone into coaching. I think that definitely, if you'd have asked me, what players you would think would look to do that or had the potential definitely to do that, I would have said she was definitely one of those.
“We had conversations in the summer obviously when she just retired, so there was a lot of similarities between us.
“Obviously I'd gone through that process four years ago, so it was very much just trying to be a sounding board and just supporting each other and trying to support her through that process.
“As I said, how Bournemouth have performed, I'm not surprised.
“Obviously they've got some fantastic players and I think she's brought a real consistency to that team.
“And you've seen that, as I said, in the position that they are in the league.
Helen Bleazard (Image: Richard Crease)
“Sunday was a battle. It was very much, from our perspective, certainly an all-or-nothing game where we had to come out and win.
“So, it was very to and fro within the game and there were opportunities for both teams. So that competitiveness is as I expected and I expect it'll be exactly the same on Saturday.
“They're in their first Cup final, just similar to ourselves in terms of the football club's first time in a Cup final.
“So there's that added edge as well. But as I said, I'm under no illusions. I fully expect Bournemouth coming out all guns blazing, trying to win this game.”
Tickets for Saturday's National League Cup final can be purchased through the QPR website.