Mel Reay shares insights on Keira Ramshaw’s retirement, future plans, and Sunderland’s performance…

Sunderland Women’s Head Coach, Mel Reay, shares insights on Keira Ramshaw’s retirement, future plans, and Sunderland’s performance.

Sunderland Women continue their remarkable season start with a 3-1 victory over Reading, maintaining their impressive form. The Echo had the opportunity to speak with Mel Reay ahead of their upcoming match against Lewes, touching upon various aspects of the season.

Regarding the win against Reading and the significance of the three players scoring their first goals of the season, Reay emphasized the importance of the result.

Despite a less than ideal first-half performance, the team secured three crucial points. Reay noted that the players took it upon themselves to address their performance issues during half-time. She also praised the goal scorers, highlighting Ellen’s perseverance, Liz’s hard work, and Katie Kitching’s clinical finishing.

The conversation then shifted to the significance of set pieces, as Sunderland Women have consistently scored from them this season. Reay acknowledged the impact of set-piece goals in close games and commended Steph Libbey’s dedication to training the team on set pieces.

Looking ahead to the upcoming match against Lewes, Reay acknowledged that Lewes has seen significant changes in their squad and currently finds themselves at the lower end of the table. She expects a tough game and stressed the need for Sunderland to maintain their unbeaten streak while being aware that other teams are eager to be the first to defeat them.

Reay also touched on the retirement of club legend Keira Ramshaw, describing her as one of the most vital players in the history of Sunderland Women’s team. She empathized with Keira’s struggles due to injuries and praised her dedication to the club.

Reay expressed her hope that Keira would now overcome the most challenging period and mentioned the importance of retaining Keira’s involvement with the team to pass on her valuable knowledge.

As for Keira Ramshaw’s future plans after retirement, Reay mentioned that Keira remains under contract until the end of the season. While it’s too early for her to make a firm decision, Reay highlighted the possibility of Keira pursuing coaching badges and mentioned the support available from the PFA. She also mentioned Keira’s desire to work closely with Courtney Lock, who runs the academy, to educate younger players, emphasizing the team’s commitment to supporting Keira in any capacity she chooses