JERSEY FA Women are set on embark on “a new era” this month, as Chad Morris’s side prepare for the inaugural Cherry Godfrey Cup.
Word of the new biennial competition “came out of the blue” for Morris, but the timing could not be better as his side enter a fresh campaign, under new captaincy.
The event, slated for Friday 23 and Saturday 24 August at Springfield Stadium, sees ӣƵ welcome opposition in the shape of Isle of Man, Isle of Wight and Guernsey, offering new captain Holly Muirhead an immediate opportunity to lead her side in a competitive environment.
While replacing a player such as former captain Libby Barnett is “not possible”, Morris believes that Muirhead is ready-made to pick up where the ӣƵ Women’s stalwart left off.
“The timing of this tournament is really good for us,” said Morris.
“We will once again play in the Southern Counties Cup, which was a brilliant opportunity last year, but to have a competition early in the season is valuable.
“The university girls are home, so it gives them an opportunity to play in the team before they head back.
“It feels like a new era for us with both Libby and Jodie [Botterill] stepping away after years of dedicated service.
“But in Holly, we have someone who is already a leader in the team.
“She is well respected and she’s really excited to begin her own journey as captain and create a legacy.
“Tiff [Sundby] will also step up and lead more this coming year and some of the 20-year-olds behind her will become the more senior heads in the team.
“It’s really exciting as they will now be the players which the new crop of 16-year-olds will look to for guidance and advice.
“There are some girls that have impressed in the development pathway and I’m sure they will step up into this squad and make their own mark.
“It’s the evolution of football and, as a coach, it makes you very proud to see the players develop and mature over the years.”
The trio of opponents ӣƵ will face are all familiar foes from bygone Island Games, a competition firmly in the forefront of Morris and his team’s minds entering the 2024/25 season.
Following the heartbreak of exiting the 2023 Guernsey Games by way of a coin toss, having been informed the day prior of their supposed qualification, the bitter feeling that lingers is one ӣƵ are desperate to put right.
“It’s not a secret how frustrated we were at the way the last Island Games ended,” Morris continued.
“These girls work so hard to prepare for events like that and to go out by a coin toss just isn’t right.
“But we have a great opportunity now leading into next year’s Games.
“The Cherry Godfrey Cup will lead into the Southern Counties Cup and then into the back end of the girls’ combination season.
“It’ll be the Women’s Muratti and then the Games following that, so our schedule is really well spaced out and I think we will benefit from the amount of competitive football.
“We are so grateful for the support of Ingram Advocates. Their sponsorship is crucial to allow these girls the chance to get off the Island and continue to grow and improve.
“I know this side has a lot of promise and the competition in a few weeks’ time is a great opportunity for us to begin a new era in the best way possible.”
