Despite the defeat to Womenโ Championship side Blackburn Rovers Ladies on Sunday afternoon, Wolves left the pitch having earned nothing short of an incredible achievement, as the fourth-tier side overcame the odds to reach the fourth round for the first time in 15 years.
Speaking to Wolves TV shortly after the full-time whistle, McNamara expressed his immense pride in his team as they fought right up to the 90th minute.
On the FA Cup journey
โThere are no commiserations. This group are something else, they really are something else. Thatโs what is meant to happen when you get to this level.
โIโm not saying in any way that we deserved that because theyโre [Blackburn] great players, theyโre sharp, theyโre fit, and they had Welsh internationals out there. Weโve been undone there by two freekicks and a penalty. Effectively, thatโs the difference.
โIโm just so proud of them, the journey weโve been on for the last three weeks has been tremendous. Credit to Blackburn โ what an outfit โ because thatโs what weโre chasing. Thatโs what weโre trying to get to.
โNo commiserations here, Iโm absolutely proud of every single one of them.โ
"No commiserations here." ๐
โ Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) April 18, 2021
Dan McNamara describes his pride in our #WomensFACup run and after today's battling display against Championship outfit @RoversLadies.
๐ฅ๐ฃ pic.twitter.com/L91s3umwbJ
On fighting until the end
โWeโve been absolutely fantastic, but weโve got to use it as a learning experience. This is where we want to get to. We want the club to be playing in the Championship and the WSL [Womenโs Super League].
โYou see moments of absolute brilliance from some of the Blackburn players. The two free-kicks were, as soon as she kicked the second one, it was in. And thatโs the difference.
โI think if we can hold out to half-time, we may be able to rejuvenate the girls, but weโve been back playing three weeks, Blackburn have not stopped, and I think that showed. They were sharper, more alive, more alert to the ball.
โBut thereโs absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in that performance.โ
On showing they deserve promotion
โI said to them in the dressing room at half-time, just go out there an compete. Iโve used the same phrase for the last three weeks. Weโve got absolutely nothing to prove to anyone and weโve got everything to show.
โThey just showed again there, thatโs whatโs meant to happen. Theyโve competed. They compete within every aspect.
โI though Ali Miller was absolutely tremendous, I thought Jam [Jamila Palmer] was tremendous. Jade Cross, we know what weโre going to get out of her. Summer Holmes. Every one of them, all eleven of them are absolutely a credit to themselves and a credit to the football club.
โI hope everybody thatโs been watching over the last three weeks has really enjoyed the journey, and hopefully, we continue that at home games when itโs allowed.โ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐@VitalityWFACup ๐ pic.twitter.com/okDEDYDgs5
โ Wolves Women FC (@WolvesWomen) April 19, 2021
On the teamโs growing support
โItโs been amazing, the whole journey. Itโs just been tremendous. Itโs just been absolutely superb, and we donโt want it to be a flash in the pan, we want this group to get where they deserve to be.
โWe want this support and the people at home, at the stadium when we can, because the girls deserve it.
โTheyโve just proved it again. Theyโre a tremendous group and a credit to the club.โ
Words by Katy Wordley-Smith
