Women. Langley looking for Magpies to progress in Women's FA Cup

becky-langley
Published
09 Nov 23
Team
Women

Newcastle United Women manager Becky Langley says that Sunday's trip to Mancunian Unity Women FC is a "completely different challenge" to that which her side has faced so far this season, but she maintains faith in her side to progress in the Women's FA Cup

Sunday's clash in the North West has a true FA Cup feel to it, as Mancunian Unity - a team that resides in the seventh tier of women's football - hosts the newly-professional Newcastle Women.

Despite the challenge that the home side pose, Langley has confidence in her team given United's ten-match unbeaten streak in all competitions this term.

"(We take it) one game at a time," said the United boss. "We can't look further than that.

"This Sunday is a completely different challenge, but we want to better our furthest-ever run in the FA Cup.

"We got to the fourth round proper against Ipswich and we want to get to the fifth round proper and get to the quarter-final, and why not?

"We've got the potential, we've got the capabilities so let's push on that road to Wembley.

"But it is one game at a time. We are looking to keep clean sheets and looking to score goals. We are looking to excite the fans. The support we had, more than 4,000 fans on Sunday (a record for Newcastle Women at Kingston Park), it's just outstanding."

The Magpies have gone from strength to strength this season, after becoming full-time in the summer, and Langley believes that the balanced blend of youth, experience and last but not least Geordies is the key to the impressive run they are currently on.

"The new players have brought in new experience and quality," she added.

"You've got 19-year-old Elysia Boddy who is a natural raw talent who has played in the Championship and WSL. And then you have older players like Amber Stobbs and Jodie Bartle who can bring experience from playing for and captaining teams in the Championship.

"It feels like a long time we have been together now but everyone is working together. The girls who were with us already have helped the new girls settle in and understand what it means to play in the black and white and what it means to be a Geordie.

"The (retained players) have done excellently. You can see that on Sunday with Georgia (Gibson) and Katie (Barker)'s performances in particular. When Katie gets the ball and drives with it and scores against Stourbridge, it's what we have seen from her at Northumbria University and Newcastle across the last five seasons.

"Georgia and Katie and a couple of others joined Newcastle a while ago and believed in the project. It's paid off for them as they are now here and playing as full-time athletes."

Reflecting on her first season managing Newcastle Women in a full-time environment, Langley says it has been a "great journey" so far.

"It's been good," she said. "It's been challenging in terms of taking a group of players from a part-time to a full-time environment; going from training three times a week to being in six days a week with the players.

"It's really good that we can spend more time together and bond more and get to know the players on and off the pitch more - being able to deliver more psychology and analysis but most importantly having more contact time with the players.

"They're improving technically as well and I think we're in a great position."

Photograph courtesy of Colin Lock

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