Latest news with #JocelynPrecheur
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
London City sign goalkeeper Poor on permanent deal
Newly promoted Women's Super League side London City Lionesses have signed goalkeeper Sophia Poor on a permanent 19-year-old, who spent the second half of last season at Lionesses on loan from Aston Villa, has now joined on a full-time made 12 starts for Lionesses after joining in January, helping them earn promotion to the WSL for the first teenager, who has earned England caps at under-17 and under-19 levels, will now aim to help Lionesses avoid being the third successive newly promoted side to suffer immediate relegation back to the second manager Jocelyn Precheur told the club website, external: "As a goalkeeper, Sophia has probably the biggest potential I have ever seen."I really wanted to keep developing her because she has everything to become the best English goalkeeper in a few years. I really believe in her and I am grateful that she trusts us."Poor is the seventh player to join Lionesses this summer as they prepare for their WSL international midfielder Danielle van de Donk is the most eye-catching arrival, while Finnish striker Sanni Franssi, Dutch defender Isa Kardinaal, English defenders Teyah Goldie and Poppy Pattinson, and Spanish goalkeeper Elene Lete have also joined.
BBC News
06-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Women's Football Weekly: WSL season finale & what makes London City Lionesses unique?
Ellen White, Jen Beattie and Ben Haines speak to two title winning managers as the domestic league season comes to a close. London City Lionesses manager Jocelyn Precheur joins the pod as they secure promotion to the WSL and become the first ever sole entity club to compete in the women's top tier. How influential is their owner, Michele Kang? And what are the benefits of being a smaller club? Sonia Bompastor reflects on winning the WSL title in her first year as Chelsea manager as they edge closer to an unbeaten season in the league. But does Chelsea's spending on players take away from their success on the pitch? As Manchester United secure Champions League football for next season, have they gone under the radar this season? And what might the repercussions be of Manchester City failing to qualify for Europe? TIME CODES: 1'52 Final day of the Championship drama 4'17 London City Lionesses manager Jocelyn Precheur 22'02 Chelsea win the WSL title 22'44 Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor 37'10 Manchester United qualify for Europe ahead of Manchester City BBC Sounds/ 5 Live commentaries this week: Wednesday 7th May CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: PSG v Arsenal, live on 5 Live. Thursday 8th May EUROPA LEAGUE: Bodo Glimt v Spurs, live on 5 Live. EUROPA LEAGUE: Manchester United v Athletic Club, live on 5 Sports Extra. Saturday 10th May WOMENS SUPER LEAGUE: Chelsea v Liverpool 1230 KO, live on 5 Sports Extra. PREMIER LEAGUE: Southampton v Manchester City 1500 KO, live on 5 Live. PREMIER LEAGUE: Bournemouth v Aston Villa 1730 KO, live on 5 Live. Sunday 11th May PREMIER LEAGUE: Nottingham Forest v Leicester 1415 KO, live on 5 Live. PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester United v West Ham 1415 KO, live on 5 Sports Extra. PREMIER LEAGUE: Spurs v Crystal Palace 1415 KO, live on BBC Sport Website and App. PREMIER LEAGUE: Liverpool v Arsenal 1630 KO, live on 5 Live.
BBC News
04-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'We are only going up' - London City in WSL to stay
Among the London City Lionesses' teal shirts emblazoned with the word "winners", a figure in a long white dress, high heels and sunglasses particularly stood Kang has not gone about her business quietly since taking over Lionesses last summer, but with promotion to the Women's Super League now secured she has done so celebrations on the pitch at St Andrew's after Lionesses held on for a dramatic 2-2 draw at Championship rivals Birmingham City to secure promotion to the WSL were somewhat unusual, with club owner Kang allowed to carry the trophy on to the was then front and centre of the trophy lift and post-match interviews, where she talked up the Lionesses' chances of being the first newly-promoted side in three seasons to avoid WSL relegation. "We have been building a team to be at a minimum, on day one, mid-tier WSL," she told Sky Sports."When I first came a lot of people were very concerned for me, asking, as an independent team: 'how can you do this because you don't have a men's team from which you can draw the equity, the brand power and the fanbase?'"As an independent team, to accomplish this in one year, is proof that with proper investment and resources anything is possible. This is proof, we are only going up."London City Lionesses are the first team with no affiliation with a men's club to earn a place in the WSL. Since splitting from Millwall in 2019, they have been a fixture in the second tier but have been turbo charged by their wealthy American owner since her arrival in who also owns European football powerhouses Lyon and Washington Spirit in the USA, is a veteran of women's sport and knows how much money talks. 'Promotion puts LCL on the map' Lionesses made splashy acquisitions last summer, including manager Jocelyn Precheur who coached PSG in the Champions League semi-finals last the pitch, former WSL winner Kosovare Asllani led several eye-catching arrivals, along with 2011 World Cup champion Saki Kumagai, ex-Barcelona midfielder Maria Perez and experienced Swedish international Sofia have not blown the Championship away, however, with promotion only secured on the final day with this draw at second-placed Birmingham - who came from 2-0 down and pushed hard for a winner until the very spending has not only been bold but savvy. A state-of-the-art training facility in Kent is planned, with the focus on fitness needs for women. She has previously called for greater investment and research into the impact of sport on women's bodies and has put her money where her mouth said the recruitment team will meet on Monday morning to plan how to avoid Bristol City last year and Crystal Palace this in dropping straight back out of the it is notable that the two key players at St Andrew's were not headline signings but young British first goal was scored by 22-year-old Izzy Goodwin, Championship top scorer this season with 16 strikes from 18 games. Having scored plenty in the second tier for Sheffield United and Lionesses, it will be fascinating to see how she makes the step second was scored by Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, signed in 2023. She also made a crucial goalline clearance in the first half."The WSL is a totally different league but we have the experience, we have the players, we have the support, we have the fans that hopefully keep growing. We take each game as it comes and put ourselves on the map," Boye-Hlorkah said."We all love her and what she has done for this club," added Goodwin on Kang. "We're so happy. Hopefully it makes more teams do this." 'She is empowering women throughout the game' That mix of investment and existing talent will be crucial for Lionesses as they aim to establish themselves in the top flight. They will want to keep the spirit that saw them over the line in Birmingham and the ability that saw them end the Championship season as joint top the money will have to be spent wisely. Clubs in the WSL get three times the TV money of those in the Championship, from a deal which next season is worth £65m over five years across the WSL and deal is worth about £800,000 to WSL clubs and £270,000 for the Championship teams. Staying up could be essential for Lionesses, given they have no affiliation with a men's Premier League or Championship side, and thus no financial have no access to Premier League stadiums for big games, and instead will play all their home matches at 5,000-capacity Hayes Lane, which they share with League Two men's side highest paid players in the WSL are on about £300,000 a year, which might be more than the whole wage cost for Championship clubs. Kang's chequebook has to be open and based on the evidence so far, she and the players are up for the challenge."I have a lot of admiration for Michele Kang because I think she is empowering women throughout the game, across all levels," former England international Anita Asante told BBC Sport."It's the fact she believes in the value of women's football, and she's driving that investment and she wants to compete at the highest level, and she wants her players to have the opportunity to keep on excelling."Lionesses' promotion might represent a seismic shift in English women's football, proof that top-flight success is possible without men's club backing. We wait to see what the woman in the white dress will do next. Head here to get involved
