Greenwood Insists Manchester City Are Champions As Title Defence Begins in Earnest

Manchester City have signalled their intentions from the very start of the season. Captain Alex Greenwood set the tone during pre-season with a forthright declaration: “A true champion is someone who goes and wins again. A winner might be one-off. But a champion does it over and over.”

Beginning the new campaign with consecutive victories — the only side in the league to do so — underlines Greenwood’s conviction that there is a meaningful distinction between being a winner and being a champion. Championship status, she believes, is forged through a process of continuous progression, built on consistently reaffirming what has already been achieved.

Only one team has claimed maximum points from the opening two match rounds this term, a feat not accomplished since 2015. Already, the reigning WSL champions look like the team others must beat, picking up where they left off and attacking the race with the assurance of seasoned professionals. The rest of the league has been left well behind.

Greenwood herself has been a pillar of consistency under Andree Jeglertz. The beauty of this Manchester City side lies in how the sum of its parts creates such a complete whole, unified by a single guiding principle: “We always find a way.”

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Speaking at the club’s training ground before a ball had been kicked, the 32-year-old explained that her mindset heading into this season is framed differently. Because you are title holders, I suggest, perhaps with a degree of presumption? Not so, insists Greenwood.

“I needed a mental switch off,” she replies. “This summer I had freedom, no schedule, and that is why I feel so fresh now. I can’t remember the last time I got that long off, so I definitely enjoyed it.”

Much changed for Greenwood over her summer away from the game, not least becoming engaged to her long-term partner Jack — despite her attempts to call off the evening’s plans, entirely unaware of what was about to unfold.

“If I’m being really honest, the day of, I tried to cancel plans,” she continues, smiling at the memory. “I wasn’t in the mood to go out. But Jack told me he’d paid a heavy deposit on the restaurant. He played it very cool, didn’t give much away, and it was amazing.”

Beyond that, Greenwood describes the summer as a “necessary reset”. The responsibility she carries as captain means she constantly has “tabs open”, unable to fully disconnect from the demands of her own exacting standards and those of the team. Like a never-ending assignment.

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“I’m not the kind of person to turn it all off — I’m on it the majority of the time. I reflect a lot. I needed a break, because a captain has a huge role off the pitch. But I’m lucky with the dressing room we have; it’s an open environment to speak in. I’m not the only one with the authority to make big calls.”

Looking back on last season should bring warm memories. City were the dominant force, WSL leaders from early November, and worthy winners of their first title in a decade. The football was freer and more inventive, guided by Jeglertz’s philosophy rather than burdened by it.

Reinvention happened across the board, from player to player, game to game. Opponents braced themselves before facing City, never quite sure what to expect or how to predict their continually evolving patterns of play. Even in their quieter moments, they almost always found a way through.

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“I get asked a lot about pressure, and certain results created genuine pressure moments last season. We don’t enjoy losing. But in reality, we were in control. That helps with your preparation, with everything really. We had setbacks but we also had a safety net. That is what we do — always find a way.”

City now carry an edge, a brand of ruthlessness that felt absent in previous title pushes despite coming close. A complete overhaul was never necessary. “The manager made subtle differences with big results,” Greenwood says. Jeglertz describes the approach as “never being satisfied” — an unappeasable drive to improve down to the finest detail.

“He’s very open to challenge,” Greenwood adds. “He invites it. He wants us to challenge him and each other. It’s such a competitive league. Teams have strengthened so much this summer, and I love it. We remind each other we are winners, and that fuels us to want to remain that. But we have huge respect for the level of opposition we face.”

Manchester City have momentum on their side. They have developed multiple solutions for most problems. Gone are the days when their mental toughness came under scrutiny after a single off result. The complication now is maintaining standards across every competition while also competing in Europe.

“I live for European nights,” Greenwood says, touching on her frustration at having watched last season’s Champions League unfold from her living room. “Do you know how hard it is to watch those games and not be involved?”

These are questions with implications that extend well beyond the pre-season. How will City cope with the increased demands? Can they adapt to the relentless rhythm of three games a week? And does the squad possess sufficient depth and quality to compete on every front?

“We weren’t there last year and we have to use that feeling to our advantage,” insists Greenwood. “We cannot waste our opportunity.”

City spent a decade trying to crack the secret to becoming a WSL winner. The team now has everything it needs to stay that way: a new £10m training facility, an inspirational manager with aspirational targets, an influx of WSL-ready talent. And, of course, they have Bunny Shaw. The PFA Player of the Year is already off to a flying start.

In a Women’s Super League season where consistency has already hampered their biggest rivals, City’s will to win appears more resolute than ever. They do not intend to be a one-hit wonder. They have worked too hard to be merely considered winners. They want to qualify as champions.

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