In the second part of our documentary ‘How to be a Footballer’ I learn what it takes to be in City Women’s back four, and who better to learn from than City and England skipper Steph?
Strength is key but so is discipline – holding the back line, protecting your team mates and, when it comes to mind games, intimidating the opposing striker.
“I was quite skinny and gangly when I was younger,” Steph confesses. “That was one of the first things my dad said to me: ‘You’ll have to get stronger.’
“So I just kept working in the gym and hoped that, when it came to physical battles, I would stay on top.”
Out in Abu Dhabi I learned that stamping your authority on the game was key: making your first tackle hard, and letting the opposition know you aren’t going to be easy to beat.
Steph added: “You want to be the one that controls the whole situation. When the ball goes to the striker you have to be in a position to win the ball. Especially when you come up against strikers internationally, that’s a little bit more about mind games.
“It’s about who wants to get on the ball more or who wants to stop the ball more. And I try to win that as many times as I can.”
But you would be wrong if you thought being a defender was just about brute force. As you can see in part two, they have to hold ‘The Ark’ a defensive manoeuvre that maintains shape.
“You have to be very good at reading the game,” said Steph. “Not only where the ball is, but where your team mates are. You have to be patient as well. A striker wants you to make that first move so they can try to get past you, but you have to have confidence in your ability to defend.”
I will leave it up to you to decide how I got on but what advice would the England captain have for any young girls hoping to be the next Steph Houghton?
“First and foremost, enjoy your football,” she stated. “When I was younger I never had a settled position. It was all about trying different things, trying to be the complete footballer. Secondly, make sure you listen to your coaches and any advice you can. Whether it’s in the pitch, in the gym or in the classroom, always work as hard as you can.”
