Everton Women: Willie Kirk praises Christiansen following POTY nomination
Goodison News editor Elliott Cuff reporting from Friday’s pre-match press conference…
Everton Women manager Willie Kirk has praised midfielder Izzy Christiansen following her nomination for the Women’s Super League Player of the Year award.
The England international makes up the six-woman shortlist alongside Chelsea’s Sam Kerr and Fran Kirby, Manchester City’s Chloe Kelly and Sam Mewis, and Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema.
Christiansen, who joined Everton from Olympique Lyon in January 2020, is the club’s joint-lead goalscorer this season alongside Simone Magill.
Goodison News attended Kirk’s pre-match press conference, where the manager was full of praise following Christiansen’s nomination.
Kirk said: “It’s fantastic for her to be recognised and I think it shows her fantastic consistency throughout the year. It’s a compliment to her teammates for giving her that platform to go and shine, and it’s a big recognition for the club as well.
“She’s come back to the UK from Lyon and people may have looked at that move and wondered ‘why come back to the UK’, but more specifically ‘why sign for Everton?’
“Well I think that’s proof in the pudding that we are recognised among the top clubs in the country, and we’ve got some of the top players in the country.
“So I think it’s fantastic for everybody involved and I hope she wins it, because she’s been excellent all season.”
Great news
Christiansen’s Player of the Year award nomination is certainly good news, not just for the player but also for the club.
As Kirk explained, recognition of Christiansen’s form this season goes to show that Everton have created an environment for top players to thrive, and it spotlights the club as a place for players to come to improve.
Despite the fact that Manchester United sit above Everton in the Women’s Super League, with the Blues now unable to catch them, it’s interesting that none of their players were named on the Player of the Year shortlist.
Christiansen counts herself among a number of extremely talented women on the shortlist and it is testament to the incredible work she has put in over the course of the campaign that she has been included.
Hopefully she’ll take home the gong, not just because it further benefits the club but also it would be a richly deserve award for to claim.
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