Rehanne Skinner interview: Tottenham Women’s head coach discusses her blueprint for Women’s Super League success | Football News

Walking through the carefully constructed halls at their Enfield training base, it’s easy to see why Tottenham Women, led by Rehanne Skinner, have gone from strength to strength in recent seasons.

Nothing is left to chance. Every detail, decision and determination is geared towards providing Spurs with the quickest, most efficient, route to success.

It wasn’t always like this, as head coach Skinner remembers. The former England assistant has been in her not-so-new role for coming up to two-years, but in that time the north London outfit have gone through an accelerated period of transformation.

To reflect that, and to ensure every player that has played a part in their history is recognised, the walls are adorned with the names of hundreds of female representatives. Each one having played for Tottenham, both past and present.

The environment is inclusive, yet aspirational. Intentionally so. Just a few paces down from there, the club’s code of ethics is stitched onto the wall adjacent to the first team dressing room, in clear view. The placement, you would presume, is equally deliberate.

“The standards are high here,” Skinner begins to explain. “As long as you’ve got your core philosophy and the principles you want to play by, that never changes. You might tweak certain things. You’ve got to stay on your toes. But ultimately, you’ve got to back yourself and the style you want to play.”

Skinner’s conviction is absolute. Fast-paced, front foot football that gets results. There is a clear game plan, one that saw Spurs achieve their highest ever league finish last term – displacing clubs with an established Women’s Super League tradition to claim fifth spot. The placing was a sign of growth and of future intent. “It shows how far we’ve come,” Skinner continued.

“A lot of people have worked incredibly hard to move this club forward in a short space of time. Anybody that knows me, I keep my feet on the ground. I’m a realist. I know how hard it is to be successful in the league and that consistency is the key.

“If you’re too busy thinking about the future, or dwelling on the past, you make mistakes in the here and now. Everything is about what’s next. That’s the priority. That’s the only way to grow. It’s been a positive journey. Things have evolved quickly to support opportunity and allow players to just focus on the game.”

Including, it would seem, the all-important coffee machine, which is strategically positioned opposite the canteen in the hallway before you reach the state-of-the-art gym. Going by the demands placed on the team to be consistently at their best it’s no wonder the machine is in regular use.

“I made life difficult for some people initially,” Skinner divulges, in a jokey yet serious way.

“The physical demands of the game are high. When I was shifting training, I made life difficult for a lot of people. But once you prioritise what you know is going to make a difference there and then, you can then figure out the next bit and you keep adding to it. It’s been stepping stones.”

Less stepping stones, more giant leaps, Spurs have been mentioned in the conversation surrounding the league’s top three this term. That is, the three teams who get entered into the following season’s Champions League draw.

Mirroring their male counterparts, who are leading the way in Group D of this year’s European stakes, is something Skinner is particularly keen to do. Traditionally, the WSL’s top three spots have been occupied by the same three clubs, albeit in varying order.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City have enjoyed a monopoly at the top of the division – so are Tottenham ready to enter the power struggle?

“I know where I want to be. I knew that before I even walked through the door. Our aspirations are to get to the Champions League. A club the size of Tottenham, what’s been achieved on the men’s side, that’s where we need to be.

“We want to be competing both men’s and women’s. That’s the vision of the club. The club aren’t imposing that on us – it won’t happen today or tomorrow. But it is with a growth mindset.

“For me, I wanted that yesterday. But I also want to get everything in place to help this club be successful long-term. We wouldn’t be ready tomorrow. But the top clubs don’t dip in and out, they consistently compete at that level. We must lay the foundations. The sooner the better.”

Their strength is most certainly in the collective, but Spurs also possess individuals with stardust. Wing-back Ash Neville has created six chances in open play in the WSL this season, the joint-most of any defender. Her 40-yard strike against Leicester was named September’s WSL Goal of the Month.

“She’s excelling because she’s prepared to work and doesn’t play with any fear,” Skinner remarked. “That’s an inspiration for many people within the team, and wider. It’s obvious why she gets talked about.

“The success she’s had is because she is her authentic self within this environment. I’ve really valued that. She was the obvious choice for vice-captain this year. She’s the most competitive person in the world – not good for refereeing.

“She’s the ultimate winner. It drives the standards, and the desire to be a winner in everybody. She’s a real fierce competitor and takes pride in everything we do. A great asset to the team – I’d much rather have her with us than against us.”

Spurs have won three of their last four in WSL competition, only losing away to Arsenal, with Skinner admitting her side “weren’t at the races” that day.

Their new home, Brisbane Road, will play host to Manchester City, live on Sky Sports, on Saturday morning. It’ll be a measure of their progress. It’ll be an examination of their readiness to participate in the race for the long haul.