20 February 2020

Aston Villa's Sophie Haywood on the club's shift towards a professional mindset

Aston Villa player Sophie Haywood has said the club have had a more professional mindset this season.

The side are unbeaten in the Championship and are likely to be promoted into the Women's Super League next season.

Haywood has said that the club's shift has helped her make football her main focus.

"The difference for me personally from last season to this season is that football is my main focus. 

"I'd say throughout my life it's been one of my main focuses. But, just for example, last season I was playing university football, I was working, I was doing a full-time masters. 

"So there's all these other factors that sometimes, you don't want it to, but football takes a back seat.

"Now we're in the position where the club is like 'we want this to be your main focus, you're here to play football'.

"It's that shift to a professional mindset of this is your job and you're here to be successful and that winning mentality shift.

"It's more pressure now but we're relishing and thriving in it."

Aston Villa will next face Coventry United in the Championship. The match will kick off at 3pm on Sunday.

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