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Football: Title win for Manchester City Women is just the beginning

Manchester City Women won their first ever WSL title this week and Andrew Gibney found out it could be just the beginning for the club.

Football: Title win for Manchester City Women is just the beginning

Watch any feel-good sporting movie and usually the last scene involves the main protagonist winning the final, lifting the trophy, scoring the crucial goal. Fade to the credits, live happily ever after.

For Manchester City Women, the final whistle on their 2-0 win over Chelsea on Sunday which confirmed their place as FA Women’s Super League Champions is far from the end of the journey, and when you speak to anyone at the club, although they are delighted to taste that moment of success, there is a feeling that this is just the beginning of the story.

"It doesn't even seem real,” midfielder Jill Scott told Yahoo Sports after Sunday’s victory. “It's just been such a journey since joining this club three years ago. The players, bringing the right people in, just to see it all come together and win the league is just fantastic."

The players weren’t handed the trophy at the Academy Stadium. That has been put on hold until after the final fixture against Birmingham City. They will have to wait till the end of October, as is the beauty of the WSL fixtures, but don’t think that they team will be allowed to relax and lose focus.

Apparently, according to Scott—who headed the opening goal in off Katie Chapman’s shoulder—the first thing coach Nick Cushing said to the team when he got them in the post-game huddle was the importance of keeping their unbeaten run going.

City have also only conceded three goals all campaign, two of them penalties.

"Me and Karen Bardsley have coffee in the breakfast room and we always talk about those two penalties,” Cushing joked to the press.

Toni Duggan of Manchester City Women celebrates after the FA Women's Super League match between Manchester City Women and Chelsea Ladies FC at City Academy on September 25, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images,)
Toni Duggan of Manchester City Women celebrates after the FA Women's Super League match between Manchester City Women and Chelsea Ladies FC at City Academy on September 25, 2016 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images,)

It's a testament to the man and the type of manager he is, joking about the possibility of organising a game at the Academy Stadium against Liverpool as they are the only team they have failed to beat this season.

"I have a support staff within the football club that helps us recruit the right character of player, and the right player for the way we want to play."

That has developed since Nick was put in charge three years ago. He spoke of a terrible performance against Bristol in his first campaign. Over 2000 fans came to watch and the team were poor.

His belief is that if you don’t entertain, they won’t come back and they certainly won’t bring a friend.

Even last season, again 2000 fans turned up to cheer on the team after the success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, but despite improvements, it wasn’t the free-flowing attacking football that both he, or the fans would have wanted.

"If we can get 4000+ people in here to watch WSL games, then we've done something right. One title is good, but it doesn't mean we've achieved anything.”

Suggestions will be made that City have “bought” the title. There is an element of truth in that, investments have been made, but that alone doesn’t bring success and it doesn’t guarantee an entertaining brand of football.

Arsenal this summer went big on their transfers, signing a whole host of big name players, but it hasn’t worked. Results didn’t follow and manager Pedro Martinez Losa is under pressure.

Outside of the Gunners boss, Cushing was probably under the same level of expectation. City’s position almost assumes titles and success, but as he said, they have a team in place, both on the pitch and off it, working together to do everything they can to give the coach and players the platform to win.

City put their faith in the squad, in youth development, in buying the right players for the right positions, not just high profile marketing opportunities.

Jane Ross, the Scotland international striker, was the only signing from the off-season that started Sunday’s game. Her eight goals put her top of the goal scoring chart and in contention for WSL Player of the Season.

Jane Ross of Manchester City Women celebrates scoring against Arsenal
Jane Ross of Manchester City Women celebrates scoring against Arsenal

She may not have captured the headlines when she arrived in Manchester, but she was exactly what the club needed. Now, the next step is to continue their domestic run in the FA Continental Cup Final on Sunday, playing against Birmingham City and then their inaugural UEFA Champions League campaign.

“We are looking forward to getting into the Champions League. Seeing how far we can get in Europe,” midfielder Isobel Christiansen told Yahoo Sports moments after confirming the title.

"We didn't really focus on the outcome, we just focused on the process of winning today and getting three points, like we've approached every other league game this season."

Russian club Zvezda 2005 are their opponents on October 6th and the backing from the home support will be crucial in getting behind the team as they venture into the unknown.

"No words can describe how important they've been,” admitted Christiansen. “From start to finish they've supported us through some bad times and now they are getting the good times. To get 4000 people in the stadium today is incredible and I really hope that can continue."

With more domestic titles expected, and European domination in their grand plans title celebrations have been put on hold for now and Cushing and Manchester City team are now ready to end this feel good story just yet.

This could just be the beginning.