I’M FEELING FRANTASTIC
Kirby: Boss Sarina got me roaring again
FRAN KIRBY says she is hitting peak performance – thanks to England boss Sarina Wiegman’s hands-off approach to fitness.
Kirby believes the Dutch coach’s understanding and guidance is reaping rewards after the Chelsea playmaker kickstarted the 5-0 rout of Northern Ireland.
She came into these championships under a cloud, with a chronic fatigue issue having ruined her campaign in the Women’s Super League.
The illness remains something of a mystery – and it took a leap of faith by Wiegman (right) to include her in the Lionesses squad.
But Kirby has improved with each passing game in Group A and is now likely to keep her place for this week’s quarter-final.
She paid tribute to Wiegman for trusting her to look after herself, saying: “I’m really happy with how my body is adapting and recovering after games.
“I got my first 90 minutes against Northern Ireland. I’m in a really good place now.
“Recovery has been one of the most important things. It’s been massive for me.
“Everyone sees what you do on the pitch, but it’s
everything else you do behind closed doors that’s just as important. I’ve had to learn that the hard way. I need to be doing the right things for me. It’s managing myself, just how I’m feeling.
“And Sarina has been great with me in terms that I’m managed and making sure I’m ready to play.
“She’s put trust in me. She knows I will do everything if I feel good, but if I need to take a step back, that’s absolutely fine as well.
“So, if I feel my legs are heavy in one session, you can communicate that to her and you have a plan. If you need to step away from something, there’s no judgement.
“It’s a case of, ‘OK, you’re doing this because that’s what’s needed for your body’. You have the trust of the team you are doing the right thing to be ready for the game.
“As players, we know our bodies more than anyone else.”
Kirby has been saddled with the weight of expectation for years – ever since previous boss Mark Sampson dubbed her ‘mini-Messi’ during the 2015 World Cup.
But she struggled four years later and, although she enjoyed a spectacular season in the aftermath, a string of problems – including depression following her mother’s death and pericarditis, a condition affecting the heart – have since dogged her.
Kirby added: “I knew there were questions about me coming into this tournament after having a bit of time out.
“But I knew the more minutes I got and the more time I got to play, I could grow my fitness and my sharpness. I think my performance is getting better with each game I play.
“Hopefully, I can keep building. I wasn’t playing my best against Austria.
“But one of the main things I’ve learned is that tournaments are decided by who can stay the freshest for the longest period of time.
“It could come down to a point where the game is going to go to extratime – and you have to make sure you’re fresh enough to do it.
“And that’s what I’m working towards.”