Dan McNamara claimed his side were ‘tremendous’ in their away victory at Burnley on Sunday, but says the win is a waste if they don’t back it up with another three points next week.
In their first trip to Turf Moor, Wolves Women ran out 1-0 winners and manager McNamara was delighted with his team’s response and performance after a good week in training. After the game, McNamara spoke on Destiney Toussaint and Beth Merrick as well as Bec Thomas’ superb performance, before looking ahead to next week’s home fixture against Hull City.
On the performance
“What a performance. I spoke this week to the girls and I questioned their values as a group after last week, I felt we didn’t see what it takes to represent Wolves and today they’ve thrown that right back in my face and that’s the reaction I expected.
“I thought we were tremendous, we hung on at times as you do against top sides, they are a top side but it’s about taking your chances - we had one chance in the first half and we took it.
“I said to the girls enjoy defending, enjoy not having the ball, you’ve got to smile and enjoy doing it, and I thought they did that fantastically well today, thoroughly deserved.
“Coming to a stadium like this and causing an upset, because these teams don’t invite you wanting to lose, is really good for us, I said to the girls are we going to start our season at 90 minutes and roll over or are we going to start it at one minute and try and get three points on the board, they’ve answered that perfectly.”
On Destiney Toussaint and Beth Merrick’s return
“They’re two fantastic players, they belong at the top levels of the game.
“I thought Destiney was outstanding today. I felt we lacked leadership last week which is no disrespect to the other girls that were on the pitch, they’re just young.
“Destiney has been there before and I thought we saw that today in certain moments, she’s a leader, she leads by example as well as being vocal.
“And obviously Beth, she is an outstanding player, I’m delighted to be working with her again and she will enjoy that today.”
On Bec Thomas’ performance
“She deserved that today and I said that in the huddle at the end, she’s had a tough week beating herself up a bit after conceding six, as goalkeepers always do.
“But what a save at the end, that is out of the top drawer, and I am saying to myself in slow-motion, 1-1 is not a bad result, but what a save and like I said she deserved that.
“Along with the others, there’s girls that didn’t get on the pitch today but that result belongs to them just as much because the way they trained has been outstanding, the intensity and what they’ve put into training has been rewarded on the pitch today.
On looking ahead to next week against Hull
“They’ll be desperate to get some points on the board and hopefully we can prepare for it well this week, we’ll treat them like we do every other opposition.
“We know their dangers, we know they’re playing great football and have got lively characters but it’s important we go there and understand that today is a waste if we don’t pick up three points.”
On the Wolves support
“I thought they were amazing and out-sang quite a healthy Burnley crowd which is great for the game to see so many here and hopefully we see them at the SEAH Stadium next week.”
