Barclays Women’s Championship club London City Lionesses are hopeful of putting in a great performance against top tier side Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, despite the shock departure of head coach Melissa Phillips.
The two sides meet at The Breyer Group Stadium in the fourth round of this season’s Vitality Women’s FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.
London City Lionesses’ assistant coach, Nikita Runnacles, was named interim boss on Monday after the club announced the departure of head coach Phillips to American sister club, Angel City.
When speaking to FAWSL Full-time ahead of Sunday’s clash, Runnacles said that her side go into the game with extra determination off the back of a challenging week.
“It’s just added more and more determination for them to go and get the job done and that is very much how they were,” Runnacles said.
“Tuesday’s session was full of high intensity and loads of discussions around how we’re going to approach the game on Sunday and I have zero concerns about this team moving forward. They are highly-motivated to go and complete the job that Melissa started with all of us.”
Runnacles has nothing but praise for Phillips who spent two-and-a-half years at the club. She believes that her former colleague represents everything that London City Lionesses are about.
She said “The culture, the environment, she brought the London City values to life every day being here. Being valued day-to-day working with Melissa is how every player felt, how every staff member felt, how the board members felt having her leading the way.
“It’s really important that we continue that because we’ve built that here. We are here to complete the job that Melissa thankfully led the way for so long.”
Runnacles went on to discuss London City Lionesses’ on-field qualities. She believes that those attributes will still shine bright against a Spurs side that is full of quality this weekend.
She said “We’re a very creative, quick-playing team who like to apply pressure all over the pitch; we like to have possession of the football, combine and break down teams and bring entertainment to the game, so we’ll see that again on Sunday despite playing against a WSL side.”
London City Lionesses are banging on the door for promotion to the top flight. Currently top of the Barclays Women’s Championship table, the goal is to make the step up to playing in the Barclays Women’s Super League next season.
“We’re always fighting to play against the WSL because that’s the club’s ambition,” Runnacles said. “That’s each and every person in this club’s ambition of where we want to be, so I feel like it’s really important that when we approach those games, we’re approaching them as if we are currently a WSL side and what can we go and achieve?”
The Pride’s Barclays Women’s Championship fixture against Bristol City last Sunday was one of the many postponed matches due to frozen pitches. Runnacles said that the team are eager to return to action following the unexpected free weekend.
She said “They’re itching at the bit to get back on the pitch after travelling to Bristol and not being able to step a foot on the grass, so I’m sure when we get there (to Spurs), they’re going to be willing and ready to put on a really high intense, quality performance.”
London City Lionesses’ Vitality Women’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Tottenham Hotspur kicks-off at 12pm on Sunday afternoon.
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