English Schools' Football Association

During the ESFA U15 girls’ tour to Lisbon recently courtesy of Inspiresport, our Chairman Mike Spinks led a Q&A between the players and Rachel Brown-Finnis, Goalkeeping Coach and Rachel Yankey, Ambassador. Here is a transcript of their insightful responses.

ESFAu15: What first influenced you to play football?

RBF: The first game I went to watch was at Wembley aged 8. From then on it was something I wanted to be a part of. I started playing at Primary School and got the bug.

RY: When I was young everyone played football at Primary School. I enjoyed a kick around and found that I was good at it.

ESFAu15: Can you list your top three tips to success (as a footballer)?

RBF: You have to enjoy it 100%. There are other things, but that must be right up there.

RY: Believe in yourself and when others don’t, in particular following injury, and have confidence. Yeah confidence – there’s three.

ESFAu15: Do you have any pre-game routines?

RBF: The only thing that bothers me is I must put my right glove on before my left. It’s part of my mental rehearsal so when I step over the white line the gloves are on! I never take my gloves off for the handshake – when they’re on I feel prepared and ready and will not break that!

RY: Fara Williams once said my superstition is to be last out of the dressing room to be last in line. I just think that’s because I’m always late! (laughter).

ESFAu15: What do you eat on a daily basis?

RBF: As a footballer I must consider how to eat healthily. In the evening I normally eat vegetables and salad with lots of protein and few carbs keeping the fat intake to a minimum. I know the window of opportunity when to eat junk food. For me food is a balance.

RY: I do like food and trying different things. I am high on carbs – lots of rice, pasts, potatoes (which I eat at most meals), loads of salad, chicken and some red meat. Why, are you going to cook for me? (laughter). Really, I am looking at a balanced diet, but I do occasionally snack. What you put in determines how well you play. However, we are all different so what you eat must make you happy. Post-match can be difficult sometimes; it’s better to eat something than nothing, so my advice is to be prepared.

ESFAu15: What did it feel like playing for England for the first time?

RBF: It was a long time ago now, we lost 6-2 against Germany. I was told at half time when we were already losing 4-0 that I was going on so I went to the toilet about 20 times! (laughter). Your preparation goes out of the window; you don’t know how you will feel. You need to do something that will reinforce what you know. Going into a new situation at 16 I was nervous but never really realised how big the stage was playing against the great Birgit Prinz (Germany Centre Forward). After a few minutes of being on I came flying out to smother a through ball and took her out! That moment settled me.

RY: My debut was against Scotland at Livingston when I was 17. My experience was pretty much the same (as Rachel’s). I was a kid and didn’t appreciate how big the occasion was as the profile of women’s football was not so big so it was just another game. I didn’t get nervous. I played centre forward alongside Kerry Davies – I was told just run. I remember scoring a goal and getting cramp!

ESFAu15: Who’s the best player you have played with?

RBF: I would probably say Kelly Smith. She has played for years and changes games. She has just finished as England’s top scorer. I remember making my debut for Liverpool Ladies versus Arsenal at Anfield (aged 15); she volleyed one from 20 yards into the top corner! How she uses her playing qualities is just unreal. She’s a player who can drag a team to a result. Yes, Kelly Smith.

RY: I’ve been lucky to play with many fantastic players, but I would have to say Marianne Pettersen, a Norwegian centre forward who I played with at Fulham. The Norwegian players made Fulham the team we were; we’d play 4v4s and If you were on her team you always seemed to win. I’m not sure whether that was a good or a bad thing as we played winner stays on, and she always won so you got no rest! She never seemed to score with her laces; she’d always have a look and side foot it in – she was amazing to watch and it changed the way I looked at football.

ESFAu15: (RBF) – why did you choose to be a goalkeeper?

RBF: I genuinely think you have to be born a goalkeeper because of the things you have to do. I willingly enjoy throwing myself on the floor many times a day! I started in goal at school; the lads probably put me in goal! I remember diving around on the playground. At my age playing in goal is a bonus because you don’t have to run around!

ESFAu15: What club did you start at?

RY: I started at 8 playing for a boys’ team in the South Kilburn estate but I had to leave the team because I was a girl. So I joined a girls’ team called Millhill United. I played at school for both the boys and girls team; I didn’t like playing for the girls’ team at school because they just gave me the ball and stopped. Vic Akers was refereeing and he asked me who I played for I very proudly said Millhill I enjoyed it there so turned him down, and I was an Arsenal fan! Some point at 15 or 16 people kept telling me I was good and I had been asked again if I wanted to join Arsenal this time I didn’t turn them down I wanted to challenge myself. In my first season I played one or two reserve game before being elevated to the first team bench.

RB: There was no Centre of Excellence so I started playing with boys at school at 8 and then Sunday League. When I got to secondary school I didn’t play until Year 8; then I pretended I was 14 and joined a Ladies team. My first game we lost 12-0 but I got player of the match. I got plenty of practice in that team! (Accrington Stanley). At 14 I went to a goalkeeping camp in London. They told me to play at a higher level so I went home and joined Liverpool Ladies FC soon making my debut at Anfield (in the 0-6 loss to Arsenal). As a goalkeeper you have to learn to let goals in!

ESFAu15: What is the best stadium you have played at?

RBF: I was part of the London Olympic team, and although I didn’t play in the game – Wembley. Wembley for the Olympics and a massive crowd, all supporting us.

RY: Wembley too and the same game. I did also play at the old Wembley against a US select side when I scored a hat trick!

ESFAu15: How did you manage your nerves in front of 75,000 at Wembley?

RB: I’m more nervous sitting here (answering your questions)! To be honest you visit the stadium the night before and then almost visualise the people in there and what might happen. With visual rehearsal there is less shock and more preparation. In the dressing room there are nerves yes, but that is standard. I use blinkers to control my nerves and concentration. I have learnt this and improved it over time.

RY: I get more nervous as I get older because of what the game means. I hate losing even though that is part of football. I love to play in front of large crowds and go out and try to entertain them. If they boo you, you try harder to quieten them. But when you’re on the pitch you switch off from the crowd.

ESFAu15: What’s the biggest crowd you’ve played in front of?

RY: A game for England versus France in Marseille when the French men’s national team were due to play after us. There were about 80’000 by the end of the game.

RBF: I can’t go any higher than that!

ESFAu15: (RY) – did anything special happen for your 100th appearance?

RY: My 100^th appearance was against Turkey – I started, scored and got player of the match (but I think they were just being kind). It was special because when I had got about 90 caps I got dropped and missed Euro2009. Lots of people told me I would never play for England again. It’s hard when people talk negatively about you, so to come back and get 100 caps, to captain the team, score and get player of the match was a special moment.

ESFAu15: Who was your footballing hero?

RY: The Arsenal legend that is Ian Wright.

RBF: Probably Peter Schmeichel.

ESFAu15: Women’s football is on the up and is more prominent. How do you feel when you look at the men’s game (status), does it bother you?

RB: No. I see it as two different games. One has just celebrated 125 years the other 20. That’s men’s football not women’s, I’m not jealous about it.

RY: It’s a different sport. I’m not bitter; you can only be a s good as you can be. It would be nice to see women’s football getting a big TV deal. It’s down to us to improve the game technically and to entertain, to promote the game and get people in stadiums to see it. I always feel I must entertain; my aim growing up was always to play like Ian Wright, to play like a boy.