World Soccer - UK (2021-03)

his deal and he announced in April
2020 he would be leaving, as planned,
inJuly 2021.
Wiegman was anointed his successor,
but was committed to leading the Dutch
at the Olympics. That left Neville as the
obvious choice for Team GB, but it
seemed the FA were waiting for the
autumn internationals to see if the
team’s form revived. COVID meant those
fixtures never took place and by the time
the FA accepted it had to be Neville, he
was in discussions with Inter Miami
co-owner, and former Manchester
United team-mate, David Beckham.
One area in which the Neville
experiment worked was in raising the
profile of the women’s game, which had
been a key factor in his appointment
back in 2018. Secure of his status in the
game and used to very high standards in
his playing career, he also demanded –
and got – better treatment for his
players, an example being improved
flying conditions and more
professionalism from them.
Neville overhauled England’s style,
recognising that the more direct football
practiced under Sampson, while
successful, was unlikely to take them
the next step. The issue with this was
the timing: were the players really good
enough to play out from the back when
pressed by elite opposition? Time and
time again the team lost possession in
dangerous positions, especially against
the US. Sampson had been initially more
expansive as manager himself but opted
for a more reactive style after bad results
against top teams. In time the change
should have benefits, but it will be
interesting to see which approach
Wiegman takes.
Perhaps the most significant bequest
will be his faith in youth. Neville had
began easing out some of the veterans
and bringing in youngsters. Not all were
ready, but they will benefit from the
experience and players such as
Manchester City trio Chloe Kelly, Lauren
Hemp and Ellie Roebuck have already
made an impact. If Neville was by no
means a clear success, history may
regard him more kindly.

UTAH RETURN TO KANSAS

Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the

Utah Royals are back in Kansas, though

it was a slightly longer process than

clicking their heels three times. Three

years after leaving the mid-west city for

Utah the franchise returned, though the

Royals name remains in Salt Lake City,

waiting to be exhumed, potentially in

2023.

FC Kansas City, an NWSL founding

member and two-time champion,

folded after the 2017 season with

the playing staff and league status

transferred to Utah. Though the Royals

were a success, averaging10,000-plus

gates, a toxic club culture was exposed

in 2020 and club owner Dell Loy

Hansen forced to quit the league. With

no local buyer, a return to Kansas was

the solution. However, gates were below

2,000 when NWSL quit Kansas so the

new ownership group has plenty to

do. Six of the players who left Kansas

return headed by US World Cup winner

and two-time Olympic champion Amy

Rodriguez.

The domestic season, with

newcomers Racing Louisville, will start

with the NWSL Challenge Cup. This has

been retained after a successful 2020

debut when it was conceived to

part-replace the regular season,

which was lost to COVID.

Absent will be new US

international Catarina

Macario, who spurned

the college draft to

sign for European

champions Lyon, and

World Cup winner

Abby Dahlkemper,

who signed for

Manchester City.

SUPPORTERS UNDER

SPOTLIGHT IN AUSTRALIA

A debate on fan culture has developed

in Australia after the Melbourne derby

was disrupted by bottle-throwing fans.

After defending W-League champions

Kansas City...the 2015 NWSL winners

Melbourne derby...

Teagan Micah

removes a can

Departing...

Jayne Ludlow

Melbourne City took a late 3-2 lead,

play was suspended when a section of

the Melbourne Victory support threw

missiles onto the pitch close to City

keeper Teagan Micah. The fans involved

appeared to have crossed over from

the men’s A-League team.

BARCA WOMEN BACK AT HOME

Barcelona women played at the Nou

Camp for the first time in half a century,

marking the occasion by defeating city

rivals Espanyol 5-0. The previous match,

in December1970, was an exhibition

featuring Seleccio Ciutat de Barcelona,

but this was a league game. Due to

COVID no spectators were allowed.

LUDLOW LEAVES WALES

Jayne Ludlow stood down as manager

of Wales after six years following the

team’s failure to make the Euro

2021 qualifying play-offs.

There was also a raft of

managerial changes in

WSL: Rehanne Skinner

succeeded duo Karen

Hills andJuan Amoros,

who had taken

Tottenham up from the

parks. Norwegian Olli

Harder replaced Matt Beard

at West Ham – Beard then

became maternity cover for Bristol

City’s Tanya Oxtoby. Aston Villa brought

in Marcus Bignot as interim manager.

Head coach Gemma Davies, who

previously had responsibility for team

selection, will now work under him.

Rising star...

Chloe Kelly