Amy Goddard has had an exciting summer, “set pieces come first” she jokes with a glint in her eye. The towering defender got engaged to her fiancée this summer but that wasn’t the only big change in her life.
Goddard also secured a move back to the south coast, returning to where she grew up. With a move to Southampton secured, finally, as Goddard puts it, she is “home now.”
She returns with a wealth of experience to put into practice. Goddard is only 26 years old but she has plied her trade all over the country. She’s played for Yeovil, Aston Villa and most recently had a two year stint with Sunderland in the North East.
Goddard took the time to sit down with The Halfway Line to discuss her move back home, the south coast derby and exciting new signings.
Goddard excited by Saints ‘refresh’
The new season brings a new manager for Southampton in former Blackburn Rovers boss Simon Parker. Goddard told us what she thought the team might look like tactically this season,
“I think for Southampton it was very much kind of a refresh for them.” She continued “tactically, we want to be more direct as well in terms of our style of play, exploiting the wide areas. With Simon [Parker] coming in, it’s a great group of girls and we’re all just ready to learn. Ultimately, we want to compete in this league.”
How does Goddard play a role in that style?
“Performing week in week out, and making sure that I am that leader that I say that I am.”
Goddard concluded, “I think we’ve got a good group of girls, and they’re ready to go and be solid and put on performances for our fans.”
Goddard ‘really looking forward to’ south coast derby
Goddard knows a thing or two about a local derby, she played in four last season with Sunderland against Newcastle and Durham. This season she will star in the south coast derby for the first time. Is Goddard excited for that first derby match on October 12th? The question had barely been uttered before Goddard replied, “definitely!”
The Southampton centre back continued,
“So actually, I’m home now, I grew up in Dorset, so, for me to be playing for Southampton in that local derby is something that I’m really looking forward to.”
“I genuinely feel at home” says Goddard
Southampton welcome newcomers Ipswich to St Mary’s on the opening day of the season. It will also be Goddard’s first match in the famous red and white at the largest ground in the south east,
“[that first game] It’s going to be huge! I’ve only been on the away end.”
“I really want to step into the ground and have that feeling of being home. I’m just excited to get going, really.”
Goddard continued, “I’ve only been here a month, so it’s very early days still, but the club has been very welcoming. I just genuinely feel at home. And for me to step on the pitch with the other girls, is everything that I want.”
Goddard lays out gauntlet ‘I want to score more goals this season’
There has been significant change in personal at Southampton over the summer. Big names like Rachel Rowe, Alice Griffiths and Molly Pike have departed but Southampton have made up for that with several key signings of their own.
“We’ve got exciting players” Goddard affirms, herself one of those big name signings.
She continued, “In terms of what we’ve got within our squad it is very exciting, up and coming talents. We’ve got the likes of Emma Harries signed from West Ham and everything, and she’s very experienced.”
Harries joins the Saints alongside exciting striker Ellie Brazil and Manchester United loanee Jess Simpson to name just a few.
Goddard knows as one of those new signings herself, there is pressure on her to perform.
“I’ll do everything I can in terms of set pieces. I want to score more goals personally this season as well,” the 26 year old is one of the tallest players in the league and is a menace from a corner.
She concluded, “hopefully I can give that and also keep them keeping them out the net as well, which will help.”
