Brits Kelly Smith and Alex Scott ended their season with the Boston Breakers to return to action with the England National Team and the European Championships.
The Breakers final 2-1 loss versus LA Sol came down to yet again another showdown between Smith and Marta. Smith scored the first goal and Marta canceled her out with the second.
Smith has been nominated three times as FIFA's "World Player of the Year," but all three times Brazil’s Marta won the award.
Although Breakers’ goal leader (6) Smith has two years left on her contract and both she and Scott are expected to return, the striker and defender have busy agendas.
Relaxing in the Harvard clubhouse after their final 2-1 loss that killed the team’s playoff hopes, Smith and Scot spoke with reporters about the highs and lows of their first WPS season, the life they return to in England, and the prospect of more English players entering WPS.
What do you face now in England?
“We’re going to go back and play in the European Championships in Finland and take September off and vacation and relax,” said Smith. “It’s been really tough for us because we’ve been playing for a year non-stop. The break is well-needed at this point in time.”
“Then we’ll look to train with Arsenal, our former club,” explained Smith, “because we have two World Cup Qualifiers with England in October and November, so we have two competitive games that we need to be fit for. Then in December and January, we’ll try to pick the fitness levels up to come in as strong as we can for the new season.”
How does playing in WPS compare to playing for Arsenal?
“We love playing with Arsenal, we had a great team there,” said Scott. “We won the Quadruple with Arsenal, but I don’t think you can compare the two. The league here is just so much more competitive and physical and we really do have the better players here. At Arsenal we had all the better players on one team, so we were dominant throughout every game.
“From the start here, you never know if you’re going to win the game or you’re going to lose the game,” said Scott, “whereas at Arsenal we’d go into a game and be winning every ten minutes.”
How do you feel being voted into the WPS All-Star team although you won't play
“We’re obviously delighted,” said Smith. “It’s a great personal achievement that your colleagues, coaches, and fans vote for you, it obviously means you’re doing something right and it’s an honor. There’s only 11 that can be picked out of the whole league so I feel quite proud to have been recognized and I thank the people that voted.”
“For me, it’s a big personal achievement,” said Scott. “When I was coming into this league I was kind of an unknown player and people didn’t really know about my game. It’s something I want to happen again so I have to come back stronger and prove it again next season.”
Did the Breakers' schedule conflicts with international competitions hurt the team?
“Not at all, it’s a squad game,” said Scott. “The team won two games without us, so that’s how effective having a squad is. You can’t just rely on two players because there are 11 players out there, even the players that come off the bench make a difference.”
Alex, talk about the your red card ejection in the recent 1-0 loss to Washington Freedom loss that suspended you for the Athletica match the Breakers lost 1-0
“It was disappointing for me,” said Scott. “It was my first-ever red card throughout my career. It was in the first five minutes and I felt like I let the team down because they had to fight for the whole 90 minutes without me. It was disappointing, but things like that make you stronger and it will help me in the future.”
Do you think you two plus Eniola Aluko and Karen Carney playing in WPS increased the desire of British players to join this league? Who are some good prospects?
“I know some of the girls with the European Championships are interested,” said Smith, “and the WPS coaches will be over there looking to include the international scene. It’s time for the England players to step up because they’re going to be in the shop window and they’re going to want to be performing well to catch the eye of some coaches to come over here.”
“There’s Farrah Williams, who we rate really highly,” said Smith. “She’s a holding midfielder, she dictates the games.”
“And Liane Saunderson from Arsenal,” said Scott.
“And a goalie, Rachel Brown,” added Smith. “If anyone had an opportunity, a contract, I think they’d take it. But each player has different qualities and it’s about what the different coaches want to jell in their teams. You never know what coaches are looking for.”
Follow LE EIsenmenger and Boston Pro Soccer Examiner on twitter!
Comments
Kelly Smith did have an All-Star caliber season, but her goal on Sunday was her first since May 31st. Granted she dealt with some injury problems, but Boston is going to need more out of her.
It's not just Kelly Smith's goal-scoring that they needed. Boston couldn't win a game if she didn't play until late in the season. That there says a lot about her presence on the team even though she didn't score in that time period.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!