Tottenham defender Charli Grant says the club want to be respected as they prepare for the 2025/26 WSL season.
Spurs will be looking to improve on their 11th-place finish in the Women’s Super League last season, as the side prepare to enter the new campaign under the guidance of new head coach Martin Ho.
Grant, who signed for the north London club in January of 2024, is eager to play a big part in the club’s endeavours going forward.
Grant sat down with The Halfway Line to speak all things Tottenham ahead of the new season.
Tottenham making great preseason steps says Grant
Tottenham will head into the new season brimming with confidence, after the side beat Arsenal 4-3 in a preseason friendly at Meadow Park. Speaking on the mood around the camp, Grant centred her answer around ‘belief’.
“It’s been really good around the team,” Grant said. “The mood is really good, and I think that win against Arsenal was really good for the confidence and for the belief going into the upcoming season, especially after a tough season last year.
“I think we’re making really great steps, and the intensity has lifted a big amount. So, I’m really loving pre season so far.”
Tottenham endured a tough end to the 2024/25 campaign which resulted in former head coach Robert Vilahamn being relieved of his duties. Despite the signifcant drop-off of form, Tottenham mainstays Martha Thomas, Molly Bartrip and star prospect Lenna Gunning-Williams have all signed extensions with the club.
“We’ve got a really great group of players and to come together again with a lot of positivity after a tough season,” Grant said. “It just shows what characters we have in the team.
“I think having a good base is really good going to the season, because having connection on and off the pitch is huge for performing. It’s really positive that the girls have signed and want to stay and it just shows the confidence we have in one another.”
Head coach Martin Ho brings intensity to Tottenham says Grant
Following the departure of head coach Robert Vilahamn after a two-year tenure at the club, Tottenham Hotspur named Martin Ho as his replacement.
Ho has spent the last two seasons in charge of Norwegian side SK Brann, where he brought the side to the group stages of the Champions League – a feat never achieved by a Norwegian side before. Prior to his move to Norway, Ho served as the assistant coach at Manchester United, where he was said to have played an instrumental role in the side’s nail-biting title charge in the 2022/23 campaign.
“We’ve been loving working with Martin,” Grant said on the new head coach. “He’s really brought in a lot of intensity to the group and is just trying to build our confidence and belief in ourselves.
Speaking on the changes implemented by Ho so far, Grant reiterated the words ‘intensity’ and ‘confidence’.
“He’s been a lot more encouraging and brought a lot more intensity to what we’re used to,” Grant said. “I think what we’ve had at Tottenham, he’s just building on even more so.
“He’s taking big steps into being confident on the ball, with a possession-based game. He’s talked a lot about just being brave in those scenarios, and running hard and working hard for each other.”
The defender set out Tottenham’s ambitions under the new head coach as she looked ahead to the new season
“I think the main thing is just being a competitive team and being a team that’s respected,” Grant said. “We fell short last season and in a lot of results, so we just want to be a consistent team, playing good football and being brave.”
Grant’s London derby experience
Tottenham have the tough task of facing London rivals West Ham United in the opening game of the 2025/26 WSL season. Grant, who was born and raised in Adelaide, Australia, has some experience with rivalry having grown up a fan of the Australian Football League’s Adelaide Crows amongst a family of Port Adelaide supporters.
“It’s a bit controversial because in my family, I’ve grown up as a Crows fan. My dad is one, but my fiancé is a Port fan. We’re just going for a bit of both there,” Grant laughed.
“It’s definitely been an eye opener coming over here,” Grant said on England’s rivalry culture. “I think the rivalry of the derbies are incredible. I love the intensity and the atmosphere that the fans get around as well.
“I think it gives a lot of encouragement to us girls out there on the pitch and gives us that fire. So, it’s been really exciting having that those rivalries. I think it just pushes you to be even better.”
