Aoife Mannion has said her summer move to Newcastle United has 'exceeded my expectations', despite the surprise of dropping to the second tier. The 29-year-old centre-back joined Newcastle from Manchester United, a club where she won the FA Cup and played in the Champions League semi-finals.
Mannion, who has twice been named in the WSL team of the season, said the quality in the Championship is higher than many expect. 'This league now has a PFA player of the year, Ji So-yun, at Birmingham, and at Newcastle a World Cup winner in Morgan Gautrat and then Jordan Nobbs – it’s a league that is getting the respect that it’s due,' she said.
Despite Newcastle's ambition and extra promotion spot this season, Mannion is measured about expectations. 'I find myself sometimes cringing when I listen to people say: “Oh, we want to win at the end of the league.” It feels foreboding, in a negative way,' she said. 'My personal style is to have these hopes and acknowledge what they are.'
On Sunday, Newcastle travel to Birmingham City, where Mannion began her career 12 years ago. She reflected on how the women's game has changed: 'It’s evolved beyond recognition. I didn’t follow a gym programme when I was first at Birmingham. Now it’s just massively different.'
Mannion, who is taking her Uefa A Licence coaching course, said she is fully focused on the match despite her childhood support for Birmingham. 'That I am a fan originally doesn’t really affect me – it’s a game we’re really looking forward to,' she said.
