There’s a quiet confidence emanating from Keira Walsh when Daily Mail Sport sits down with England’s No 4.
You’d expect nothing less after a glance at her trophy cabinet, now bulging with yet another European title.
But life isn’t always about the numbers on the board. It has taken the midfielder 28 years, and plenty of introspection, to reach some of the conclusions she holds now about life, football and everything in between.
‘There have been times in my career when I’ve asked myself what keeps me motivated,’ she says. ‘When you haven’t won something, it’s almost easier to reach for it.
‘I work with a psychologist away from the club and we talk about my goals and how I’ll feel lifting those trophies. I came to Chelsea to win the Champions League with an English club. We didn’t do that last season, and that’s a massive one for me.
‘It’s the feeling of winning. Nothing beats it. I always remember the finals I’ve lost. It’s the worst feeling in the world and I don’t ever want to feel it again.’
Glory has followed Walsh’s every step since her move to Barcelona three years ago for a then world-record fee – including two Champions League titles with the Catalonian side
Her move to Chelsea has been another adjustment – after deciding to return to England to be closer to her family, she has also had to readapt to domestic football, which is changing quickly
Glory has followed Walsh’s every step since her move to Barcelona three years ago for a then world-record fee. She is the cog in midfield that has kept Barcelona, England and now Chelsea ticking. But, as she explains, her career hasn’t always been as smooth as it may have appeared from the outside.
‘When I first moved to Barca, it was really difficult,’ she says. ‘People don’t realise how tough it is to take your whole life to another country where you don’t speak the language. I only knew one person in the dressing room (Lucy Bronze). I didn’t know any football words.
‘I was training the day after I signed. It was a whirlwind. The first six months were probably a low, if I’m honest. I wasn’t playing well and didn’t feel great. Going in over Christmas helped. Working closely with the coaches and a smaller group made me more comfortable and confident.
‘Personally, I had to learn to be okay on my own. In Manchester my family and friends were always there, and there were just small things like getting coffee with the girls after training. I guess I didn’t really think about that side of it.
‘It was Barcelona and I wanted to go and win the Champions League. It may have been naive not to think about it. I found it difficult to come home and sit on my own some days.’
Part of her growth has also come from learning to shut out the noise. A rare user of social media, Walsh learnt the hard way during her first World Cup at 19 how important it is to block it all out. Before the most recent Euros, Sarina Wiegman even asked her to speak to younger players about it.
‘When I was younger, I paid more attention to what people said,’ she says. ‘Now, if my teammates and manager are happy, that’s enough.
‘Confidence has to come from within. When I was younger, I relied on my manager Nick (Cushing) to give me that. But it’s easy for it to be taken away. Now I build it internally, and after the Euros I think I’m in a good place.
A rare user of social media, Walsh has learnt how important it is to block out the external noise
After joining Chelsea in January, Walsh finished the season with three domestic trophies
‘Sarina asked me to share some of my experiences with the younger players. Maybe some of them have a tougher skin than me, but if it helped even one person, that’s great.’
Her move to Chelsea has been another adjustment. After deciding to return to England to be closer to her family, she has also had to readapt to domestic football after two and a half trophy-laden years in Catalonia. She quickly realised the league had moved on.
‘It’s a different league,’ she says. ‘I know I’ve played here before, but in three years it’s changed a lot. Getting used to how Chelsea play and to teammates I don’t play with for England takes time.
‘At Barca, everyone’s close together, short passes, you always know where people will be. Here, sometimes I’ve looked up and haven’t known where someone was going to be. Those relationships take time. Joining in January I was straight into the thick of it, so having a full pre-season has been massive.’
Three domestic trophies in her first six months in London isn’t a bad return. So, is she a convert yet?
She laughs after a long pause. ‘No. I don’t think I ever will be. Northern people are just different. London voices sound so posh to me. Cobham’s very different to Rochdale!’
There are perks, though. ‘There’s more food options. And the fashion scene’s more accepting of people to just be themselves.’
She has also taken plenty from working with two-time Champions League-winning coach Sonia Bompastor, describing how they are similar in that they are both ‘direct and competitive’ and see the game in the same way.
Walsh is the cog in midfield that has kept Barcelona, the Lionesses and now Chelsea ticking
‘‘I’d be lying if I said Arsenal’s Champions League win doesn’t give you that extra fire,’ she said
‘She talks a lot about confidence,’ Walsh says. ‘People see Chelsea winning, but we can still be more confident in the way we play and the belief we have. I see it in training, it’s about taking that into games.
‘She wants us to play good football and build from the back. It’s those details we need to carry into matches.
‘I’d be lying if I said Arsenal’s Champions League win doesn’t give you that extra fire. We’ve always wanted to win it, but last year taught us a lot, knowing when to shut up shop and not be so expansive. That Barca game was brutal physically and mentally. There’s a lot we can learn from it, individually and as a team.’
First up, though, are Chelsea’s nearest WSL rivals Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village tonight.
But after the summer the Blues have had, and with Walsh pulling the strings, it’s difficult to see anyone stopping them any time soon.
