The Future’s Orange? (James Clarkson interview)

Houston Dash had never reached an NWSL play-off in six seasons before winning the 2020 Challenge Cup in Utah, and their English head coach is clear about how. He told the players they did not have the strongest squad player for player but that nothing stopped them being the best team, changed the side’s style to counter-attack, and watched them concede six in four group games and then nothing at all in the knockouts. On Rachel Daly, the tournament’s most valuable player, he is expansive: her best position is by far up front, she occupies two or three defenders at once, and the captaincy has elevated her. He describes forced family fun on Zoom, five-minute squad meditations that the players stuck with, and why the exodus of American stars to the WSL may ultimately strengthen his league.