“Chaotic, carnage, brilliant, hard.”
That is how Remi Allen sums up her first season as manager of the Southampton women’s team. The 34-year-old is seven months into her new role, having taken over from Marieanne Spacey-Cale in the summer.
This is her second senior coaching position, having abruptly ended a 16-year playing career last March to take charge of London City Lionesses — another side in the WSL Championship, the second tier of the women’s game in England. With her contract expiring after the season ended in May — the London club appointed former Paris Saint-Germain manager Jocelyn Precheur the following month — Allen made the move from the capital to the south coast.
“It’s been a baptism of fire, getting thrown straight into it with recruitment, players, getting the group to understand the way I play, getting the culture right,” says Allen, speaking to The Athletic from her office at Southampton’s training ground.
“Everyone sees you as a player. Then boom, you are a coach in the Championship. But there was a lot of groundwork that went into that. I’ve done (coaching at) every age group, I’ve worked with under-21s, I’ve worked with England Under-23s as an assistant coach. I’ve done my badges.
“I was constantly — as a player, even when…
