West Ham United women’s team manager Rehanne Skinner has hailed the togetherness and hard work of the players and staff at the Club after penning a contract extension in east London.
Skinner has overseen a women’s team that has evolved in their quality and confidence since she first stepped into Chadwell Heath Training Ground in the summer of 2023, and is delighted with the culture and environment that has been created, which is allowing her players to thrive in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
The Hammers have since set new Club records and gone toe-to-toe with some of the best teams in the world - enjoying a history-making victory over Arsenal last season and taking points off Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea this term. That's as well as recording the side's biggest-ever WSL victory, away at Crystal Palace, 7-1, last weekend.
Speaking to West Ham TV, the manager admitted that football has its ups and downs, but the players trusting the process and staying unified has got them to where they are today.
Skinner also lauded the support of the fans, who have been ever-so important in the progress made on the pitch. She recounted how the roar from the Claret and Blue faithful when the players needed it most has helped them get over the line on a number of occasions, and she is determined to create more magic moments for the supporters over the coming season.
Ending this campaign on a high is important, but there is a lot of excitement from Skinner as she looks ahead to writing a new chapter in West Ham United women’s team history...
Rehanne, congratulations signing a contract extension at the Club, how does it feel?
“I'm delighted to be here. I think over the course of the last 18 months, we've put in such a lot of hard work to move the team forward. The players, the staff, and the fans have just been superb and so I'm delighted to look forward to the next chapter, and what we can achieve next.”
What were the factors in you wanting to extend your stay at West Ham?
“I think with the amount of hard work that we've put in behind the scenes, all the foundations that we've put in, the way that we've evolved the squad, the playing style - we can feel that we're moving in a really positive direction, and so it felt like the right thing to do, to do another year and make sure that we keep moving forwards positively as a collective.”
Over the last 18 months, we've seen the team progress so much on and off the pitch, you work with them day in, day out. From your perspective, what does that progression look like?
“I think the biggest things are how we've managed to get the foundations in place. When I first came in, we said we needed to evolve the squad. It was going to be a project, it was going to be a journey. We've evolved the staffing group and the expertise behind the scenes to help support the players in their ability to perform at the highest level.
“I think when you look at the culture and environment that's been created, the belief within the team, and how confident we've got, has helped us to move the playing style forward and how attractive the football is. The fans have got on board with that and when you put those pieces together, it's what's culminated in the results that we've had of late.
“The never-say-die attitude has been something that we've really wanted to show to the fans, that we're prepared to do whatever it takes. I think we're all working and pulling in the same direction, which is only natural that it takes time for us to be able to do that, and I think that shows the progress that's been made within the Club.
“I couldn't be more proud of the players and their attempts to keep evolving as individuals, as well as as a team, to be able to function the way that we have. I think our performances have been really strong and that’s tipped over into the results that we wanted.”
You mentioned the never-say-die attitude and the confidence in the team. How did you and your staff go about instilling that?
“I think we set out a couple of key headlines about who we wanted to be and how we wanted to achieve that. When you've got that in place and everybody's bought into it, it leads to the behaviours that are associated with it, and then everybody's accountable for everything all the time.
“The way that the standards have been set in training and off the pitch, that's helped us to move things forward even more. It's also about you know doing things together, that you're never in it on your own. When you've got that team togetherness and you know what your strengths are and you're able to play to those strengths, it does bring confidence within the team.
“We've repeatedly practiced certain things, and when I look at the pitch when we're in those situations in the game, the facial expressions, the body language, I know they're [the players] comfortable with absorbing that pressure.
“That fearlessness has come out of trusting the process, and they've been superb at that. Every team has ups and downs with results, but they've stuck together, they've stuck with us, we’ve evolved as a team, and that's given them the confidence to go and be themselves.
“Every day of the week we speak as staff to try and make sure that we're being really clear with how players can use their strengths, but also how they can improve. They have the freedom to go and be creative, and knowing that we trust them and what they are capable of also adds huge value to the confidence in the team.”
You've spoken a lot about the family feel at the Club, just how united is the squad, the players and staff at the moment?
“You don't get the results that we get when the team is not together. Whatever we've gone through, the ups and downs of a game up to that point, we're stronger at the end of every single game, and we wouldn't be able to do that if we weren't together.
“They’re such a fantastic group of people, of countless nationalities, and they've all got a different way of thinking. We've just tried to make sure we facilitate the way to impart their knowledge and their enjoyment of the game, to make sure that that's helped us to move things forward further as well.”
The home form this season has been record-breaking, with the team accumulating the most points and most wins in a single season. How much of the fans had an impact on the team this campaign?
“Oh massively. The players have said it countless times, as have I, when we're at home, we really want to make it you know a tough place to come to and a fortress.
“Our fans have got louder and louder. When substitutes come on the pitch, when there's a little moment in the game that’s exciting, everything starts to build up.
“Equally, when there have been really tough spells, the crowd has got behind us and cheered the players on, and I think that gives the extra energy that you can't really quantify. It has such a big influence.
“We're massively grateful for everything the fans have done over the course of the year. Obviously we've got another home game left, and we want to make sure we see the fans and thank them for all of their contributions this year at that game as well.”
What have been some of your favourite moments over the past 18 months as West Ham manager?
“It's a tough one, actually! I think obviously more recently, coming from two goals down against Chelsea at their ground is something that hasn't been done before. That was a massive statement for us. It just showed the character within the team and I think it showed what we're capable of. Last year we beat Arsenal as well.
“When you look at the amount of firsts that we've had this season, we’ve scored the most goals the Club's ever scored in a [WSL] season, and all those are contributing factors to us being in such top form. That is a massive credit to all the players and staff in the way that things have evolved.”
We've still got a few games remaining of this season. Firstly, how much are you looking to continue to end the campaign with more positivity, but also looking to build on what's been such a positive season into next season as well?
“We want to show we can be consistent in our performances. There's always bits you're always evolving as a team, and you're never finished in football. I think right here, right now, we want to try and get as many points on the board as we possibly can and keep working in the same way that we have with our performances, and then we'll obviously review that properly as a team and look at what we can take forward.
“[We’ll look at] what we need to change and just to move us to the next level next year. It’s about continuous growth and that's something that everybody's on board with, so we'll look forward to that.”
