Ana

Seventeen

*

Academy Stadium, Manchester

Two weeks later, the Lionesses manager and assistant coach are in Manchester for the big game between Man City and Chelsea.

Phil: "This is a big game today, got to watch and hope none of our girls gets injured".

Ana: "These games are always bad because you have more than one player on each team, rather than watching one side for the entire 90 minutes".

Phil: "Hearts in mouths stuff this".

Ana smiles as they are let into hospitality and look around for a table.

Ana: "Ooo team-sheet".

The assistant manager picks one up from the side and scans it, counting how many Lionesses made the line ups.

Ana: "Just the eleven players for us to watch today. Bardsley, Bonner, Houghton, Stokes, Scott, Walsh, Stanway and Parris, Blundell, Bright and Carney".

Phil: "No Fran?".

Ana: "Bench. No Bachmann for Chelsea either, also in the bench".

Ana and Phil proceed through the room, both grabbing a cup of tea as they pass and taking up a position by the windows that look out onto the pitch.

Ana: "I have to say, this is the best ground for hospitality".

Phil: "I think that's slightly bias, we haven't been anywhere else for club football that has this good facilities".

Ana: "True. I like it here though".

Phil: "That's the Manchester feel rubbing off on you. Soon you'll think Leeds is a dreary old place and re-locate here".

Ana: "Doubt it. Yorkshire is my home".

Phil smiles and shakes his head a little, taking a sip of his drink and pulling out his phone.

His assistant meanwhile, peaks through the glass in hope of seeing the girl she kissed in a car park two weeks ago. And sure enough, Ana spots Millie warming up with her teammates; head down and focused.

Phil: "Harvey should be here in a moment".

Ana: "Oh I didn't realise he was coming".

The coach snaps out her trance and looks back at Phil.

Phil: "Yeh big game. Told him if he wanted to come down he could and I would reserve a spot for him".

Ana: "That's nice of you. I didn't realise he was a fan of the women's game?".

Phil: "Well if your dad's the England Women's coach then I guess you take notice. Did you manage to get on to the Wolfsburg game and see if we should be calling up Mary? We have to let them know tomorrow".

Ana: "Yeh I did. I think it's the best choice as Ellie is still learning and is still obviously behind Karen at the moment".