Dan McNamara believes the work over the summer has given Wolves Women the “best platform” ahead of the start of the 2023/24 FA Women’s National League campaign.
The Old Gold travel to Derby County on the opening day this Sunday and head coach McNamara has expressed his excitement, while recognising that a highly competitive season lies ahead. McNamara has been pleased with the variety of games throughout the pre-season schedule, his incoming transfer activity and has also praised Sarina Wiegman’s Lionesses prior to the Women’s World Cup final on Sunday morning.
On the football returning
“It's not normal life, if you like, without football so I’m massively relieved that it's back. The last few weeks has been brilliant to get back on the grass with the girls. There's nothing better than kicking off with a new campaign and we're really looking forward to doing that on Sunday.”
On pre-season preparations
“It's been tough. We started with games that we felt we should do well in and then we really ramped up over the past few weeks. We've had Birmingham, Southampton and Crystal Palace, so the girls have had it tough.
“There have been some interesting results, there’s been some highs and some lows already, but all in preparation for what's going to be a really tough year in probably the strongest Northern Premier League, I think, the National League's ever seen. We knew we had to work hard. We knew we had to try and be better in certain areas going into the new season.
“I felt we've done that as a staff and given ourselves the best platform to hopefully go on and do well this year.”
On changes within the squad
“I think first off we just thank the girls who left and the outgoings with some big characters – Coops (Laura Cooper) and Ria (Elsmore) and Ali (Miller) just to name three of them. Fantastic servants for Wolves over the last few years so a big thank you to them.
“It’s really exciting about the players we've brought in. You've got Olivia Fergusson who obviously comes with a great pedigree, same as Ellie Wilson.
“We've got Merrick Will in over the last few weeks and she's added a lot into central midfield and it's going well. There's some really good additions. Obviously Hannah (Fryer) has now joined the squad too.
“I’m massively excited to be working with all of them. I think they've all settled in really well. The girls have welcomed them, as you would expect them to and the girls have really fitted in with the group and I think that's quite important. We often pride ourselves on getting the right people in and I think they have shown they are the right people to come and help us on the next stage of the journey.”
On the competitiveness of the division
“I think it's what we've all wanted for years. We want to see big clubs getting behind their clubs and it is amazing to see and although it's amazing to see, it then makes our job a lot harder.
“We can't compete with what's going on financially around the league so we've got to do things differently. We have to try and think outside the box. I think I said this last summer and it's only getting stronger. We've got two full-time teams within the league now and this is how we now adapt to try and overcome that bridge between obviously still staying in a part-time model and those operating full-time models.
“We want to be competitive first and foremost. I think it's really important we manage expectations going into this season that it is going to be the toughest one yet. We've just got to take it game by game and see where we end up.”
On the Women’s World Cup
“It's just amazing to see and to be part of it and to play my small part in seeing the game grow so big over the last few years, and I'm sure the other staff members, they feel really proud about the little parts they're making. It's going to be amazing on Sunday. Hopefully the girls will do it, I'm sure.
“I'm sure Sarina (Wiegman) will have them best prepared and hopefully Wolves will get the World Cup winners and three points on Sunday - that'll make for a cracking afternoon. Best of luck to the girls on Sunday.”
