During the TILC tournament, we interviewed several players. In front of Lyon for example, we could admire the level of play of Alex Greenwood, player of Liverpool and international English. The left-back left has shown how much she loves football with a clever game, perfect on the edge of perfection. Meet.



Football Hearts - Facing Lyon, you were the player of the game for us, because you were a real leader in the field, against Montpellier also today (Sunday, she played only 45 minutes). How do you feel ? What is your impression of this tournament on these two matches?
Alex Greenwood - Getting the Player of the Game against Lyon is an honor, but I do not think it's necessarily deserved, I'll take it on behalf of Liverpool. It was a great lesson for us to come here. I learned a lot, and it was great for young players too.


CDF - I saw that you were really very focused on your positioning, that you also made counter calls, when you do not have the ball you bring the opposing players with you too, you have athletic, technical, physical qualities you have good support, you try to be in the actions of your team, but it's complicated to be everywhere ...
A. G. - (surprise) You just answered the question you wanted to ask me, I think? (smile)


CDF - Yes, but did I forget something?
A. G. - No, you have not forgotten anything (smile). Was it a question?


CDF - These are all qualities that I have seen in your game over the past two games. Does it even feel like you can play higher?
A. G. - Oh, thank you, thank you. You think I can play higher? I think you should ask Scott (Rogers, coach) this question (she turns around and points the Liverpool coach). I do not think so, maybe I would play higher if he wants me to play higher. I would play midfield, I could even play to the point if he wants me to do it. I will do everything to be on the ground, really.


CDF - With Liverpool, I also felt that it was complicated to play together, we have the impression that the players all have very strong character and that it disturbs your game? It lacks aggressiveness, percussion, duplication, tactics of play. How do you see it on your side?
A. G. - I do not think that a strong character disturbs the team. We must have large print to bring the team together. If we do not have big players, I do not think the team would work. I do not think it disturbs us necessarily. The heat disturbs us, we are not efficient with this heat. Apart from that, it's a great lesson, as I said.
It depends on who you play, what opposition. It changes from Lyon to Montpellier, it was different both times, I have to play in relation to what is before me. I have to play with the player in front of me, and that changes from game to match.


CDF - I know that at this last Euro you played only one game, against Portugal, we felt that it was complicated to have automatisms between you and your teammates, because it was "the second team "we can say. What do you keep from this experience in official competition?
A. G. - Yeah, it's a great experience. I am disappointed with the way the tournament went, on a personal level. As a team from England, we were disappointed not to go to the final, but the credit goes to the Netherlands, as a host country, they deserve to win the tournament. The match against Portugal was a showdown with players who had not played any minute before (except Bright), to keep the players involved and happy in the tournament, and I think we did the work as a group (victory 2-1). I think it's not relevant now to talk about it, the tournament is over, but it was a fantastic experience.


CDF - In England, currently as we saw at the Euro, you are the lining of Stokes, your goal is to hold as with Liverpool? Can we say that you are aiming for your place for the 2019 World Cup in France today?
A. G. - Yeah, absolutely. Every year, I have a goal, I have to keep testing myself, whether at the club level or at the international level. I must continue to set high goals, and I will continue to do so. I would do everything I can to be in the starting lineup, as we approach 2019 in France, it will be a fantastic tournament.


CDF - How is the FA WSL? It seems that there is really an interest of the league to support you, promote you, make the championship attractive, but we feel that in the game it is a notch below France? How do you explain it? You have keep your games going? A. G. - It's getting better every year. I think that since the beginning of the League, we have made tremendous progress. The fans who come to our games, the players we attract (like Carli Lloyd), the football we play and the style of football that is now in FA WSL. Every year it gets better, and I recommend anyone to come and try it. Maybe ... it might be true. We have proved that the standard may not be there yet, but we are making massive progress year after year, and that's all we can do. We can not go beyond our means, and go above expectations. We have to build it year after year in the championship. It will not be long before we arrive here and we are competing with these [French] teams .CDF - What are your personal goals? G. - My personal goals? I want to win trophies, trophies of the Champions League, personal trophies. I just want to win, and now I just have to do it, I have to do it ".IFramePhoto: Mica GB M PhootoRafettes

In front of Lyon, you were the player of the match, because you have been a real leader on the pitch, against Montpellier also today. How do you feel ? What is your impression of this tournament, these two games?

Alex: "To get Man of the Match against Lyon was an honour, I don't think it's necessarily deserved, but I'll take it on behalf of Liverpool. It's been a great lesson for us to come out here, and we've learned a lot, and it's been great for the younger girls as well."
Alex: "It's been a great test for us to come up against two fantastic teams, it's been a great lesson. I'm sure we'll go back to Liverpool and work on things that didn't go quite well."
 
 
I saw that you were really very focused on your positioning, that you also made counter-calls, when you do not have the ball you bring the opposing players with you too, you have athletic, technical, physical qualities, you Have good support on your feet, you try to be in the actions of your team, but it's complicated to be everywhere. Did I forget something? It even feels like you can play higher?

Alex: "You just answered the question for me, I think."

Alex: "No, you didn't, is that a question?

Alex: "Do I think I can play higher? I think you'll have to ask Scott (Manager Rogers) that question. I don't think so, maybe I would play higher if he wants me to play higher. I'll play centre-half, I'll play in goal if he wants me to. I'll do anything to be on the pitch, really."

 

With Liverpool, I also felt that it was complicated to play together, it seems that the players have all very strong character and that it disrupts your game? It is lacking in harshness, percussion, duplication, tactics of play. How do you see it on your side?
Alex: "I don't think strong character disrupts the team. We have to have big characters to put the team together. If we don't have big characters, I don't think the team works. I don't think that necessarily disrupts us. Heat disrupts us, we're not use to this heat. Apart from that, it's a great lesson, like I've said."

Alex: "It depends against, what opposition. It changes from Lyon to Montpellier, It changed both times, I have to play what's in front of me. I have to play with the player in front of me, and that changes from game to game."

 

I know that at the last Euro you played only one match, against Portugal, you felt that it was complicated to have automatisms between you and your teammates because it was "the second team " we can say. What do you keep from this experience in official competition?

Alex: "Yeah it's a great experience. I'm disappointed with how the tournament went, on a personnel level. As an England team, we were disappointed not to get to the final, but credit to Holland, they deserve to win the tournament. The Portugal game was a game with players who hadn't played minutes, to keep players happy in the tournament, and I think we done the job as a group. I think that's irrelevant now, that tournaments over, but it was a fantastic experience."

 

In England, currently as we have seen in the Euro, you are the lining of Stokes, your goal is to hold as with Liverpool? Can you say that you are aiming for your place for the 2019 World Cup in France today?

Alex: "Yeah, absolutely. Every year I make a goal, I have to keep testing myself, whether that be at club level, or international level. I have to keep setting high standards, and I will continue to do that. I will do everything I can to be in the starting eleven, come 2019 in France, it's going to be a fantastic tournament."

 

How is the FA WSL? You get the impression that there is a real interest in the league to frame and promote you, to make the championship attractive, but you feel that it is a step below France? How do you explain it? You have people in your games?

Alex: "It's improving every year. I think from the start to now, we've made massive strides. The fans we bring in, the players we attract, the football we play, and the style of football that's now in the WSL. Every year it's improving, and I'd recommend to anyone to come and try it."

Alex: "Maybe.... that might be true. We've proved that the standard might not be there quite yet, but we're making massive strides year, on year, and that's all we can do. We can't go above our means, and go above expectations. We have to take it year by year in the WSL. It won't be long before we come here, and are definitely competing with these teams."

Alex: "Personnel goals..., I want to win trophies, Champions League trophies, personnel trophies. I just want to win, and however I have to do that, I have to do it."

 

Courtesy of Harjeet Johal

Dounia MESLI