Manchester City's Women's Super League squad opened up about life at the reigning champions' Etihad Campus home in a recent BBC Radio 5 Live feature, offering insight into the club's mentality as they prepare to defend their crown this season.
Among the standout conversations was new signing Beth Mead, who joined City after nine years at Arsenal. The England forward discussed the adjustment to a new environment and what it means to return to football in the north of the country, an area with personal significance for her. Mead also touched on how her playing style aligns with the approach favoured by City's coaching staff, suggesting she believes she can thrive within the system head coach Andrée Jeglertz has built.
Vice-captain Kerstin Casparij reflected on the psychological shift that comes with success, noting how the team's status has changed from underdogs chasing a title to the team everyone else is targeting. Casparij's comments highlighted the challenge of maintaining hunger and focus after achieving the ultimate goal of a league title.
Jeglertz himself gave a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the squad, speaking about the culture he has tried to cultivate within the dressing room. The Swedish coach also addressed the demands of balancing domestic form with a Champions League campaign this season, a dual challenge that will test the depth of his squad. In a lighter moment, Jeglertz revealed he has gotten a new tattoo, though further details were not disclosed.
Dutch international Vivianne Miedema, one of the club's most experienced and decorated players, spoke about the aftermath of last season's title celebrations and how the club hopes to sharpen its attacking output moving forward. Miedema also shared a quirky detail about her personal life, revealing an unusual location where she keeps her medals from a trophy-laden career.
Midfielder Grace Clinton offered a more personal account of her off-season, explaining how she used the summer break to recharge and step away from football mentally. Clinton, who has ambitions of representing England at a future World Cup, also spoke about her spiritual side and how it shapes her outlook both on and off the pitch.
The episode closed with a feature on Jamaican striker Bunny Shaw, who discussed her aerial prowess as one of the WSL's most feared forwards. Shaw, a previous Golden Boot winner, spoke about her aspirations to add another scoring title to her collection this season. She also addressed the recent announcement of a contract extension, which ties her future to the club for the coming years and signals City's intent to build around their most potent attacking weapon.
Together, the interviews painted a picture of a squad blending continuity and new arrivals as it seeks to retain its WSL crown while also making an impression in the Champions League. With Mead adapting to a new system, Casparij and the senior players managing heightened expectations, and Jeglertz overseeing a busy fixture list, Manchester City appear determined to build on last season's triumph rather than rest on it.
The full episode, hosted by Ben Haines, was recorded at City's Etihad Campus training base and forms part of the BBC's ongoing Women's Football Weekly podcast series covering the WSL.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football (BBC Women's Football Weekly).