Iconic women’s footballer Steph Houghton hasn’t announced what comes next after retiring but coaching looks more likely than following former Manchester City and England team-mate Jill Scott into reality television.
‘I can’t sing or dance,’ admits the 36-year-old who also screws up her face at the thought of going into the jungle on I’m A Celebrity…
Helping the next generation is another matter. Houghton, capped 121 times by her country and responsible for helping trigger a huge boom in her sport, isn’t short of options although top priority will be her husband, ex-Liverpool player Stephen Darby, who is battling Motor Neuron Disease.
Since her final game on May 18, Houghton has been at St George’s Park studying for her coaching badges.
As the first female player to appear on the cover of Shoot magazine, she knows about breaking new ground and doesn’t see why women coaches and managers can’t aspire to be Pep Guardiola in the men’s game as well as Emma Hayes.
Steph Houghton hasn’t announced what’s next following her retirement earlier this month
The former England captain called it a day on her playing career but won’t be short of options
Her main priority is husband, ex-Liverpool player Stephen Darby, who is battling Motor Neuron Disease
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‘I’ve just spent two days starting my A license and we outnumbered the boys. It shows a lot of women are wanting to stay in the game,’ she reveals.
‘We were all learning the same thing on the course. We all know the game. To get this qualification means you are on the level of coaches around the country.
‘I’ve been fortunate at City over the last year to coach the under-13s and 14s boys. The under-18s coach has been really helpful in letting me get involved.
‘I actually coached a boys team on Tuesday and the response and the respect they gave us was the same as for any men’s coach because you’re telling them the same information.
‘Maybe delivering it in a different way because we are all different but I can’t see why we can’t have females in the men’s game as men are in our game at the same time.
‘I completed my B licence over Christmas and I think that was probably part of my decision to retire. I enjoyed being on the grass.
‘I’m not saying I definitely want to coach or manage, but I feel this time can be used to get qualifications. I want options.
‘I expected Jill to take that route because she openly said she was interested in coaching but her life has changed dramatically. You probably can’t get her off telly!
Responsible for playing a part in the boom of the women’s game, Houghton is keen to see more female coaches in the men’s game
She isn’t interested in following friend and former team-mate Jill Scott (left), who she says ‘you probably can’t get off telly’, into reality TV
‘I’ve worked with so many amazing people, it would be a miss if I didn’t use it. We’ll see.
‘If I could play until I was 45, I would. But as you get older, you get more perspective. The next chapter is a little bit scary but at the same time I am excited.
‘The idea is to go on holiday and have a switch-off because it has been intense and then we’ll see where we’re at in July.
‘I am fortunate to have options but I know exactly what I’m like. I will want to drive and aim towards something.’
Houghton’s achievements as a pioneer are unparalleled. Her performances for Team GB at the London Olympics in 2012 took women’s football into a new sphere. As captain of England for eight years, she was the face of her rapidly-growing sport and won eight major trophies for City after signing for them in 2014.
Her only disappointment came near the end when her recovery from long-term injury wasn’t enough to be selected for Sarina Wiegman’s England squad that won Euro 2022.
By then however her husband had been diagnosed with MND which naturally gave her a different outlook on life.
When Darby was diagnosed with MND, Houghton gained a different outlook on life and is keen to spend more time with her family
She recently described Darby as ‘mentally strong and positive’, with the pair raising money for the Darby Rimmer Foundation
‘The thing I’m looking forward to most is being able to have a Sunday dinner, see my family more, spend more time with Stephen obviously. That is the most important thing,’ she says. ‘In football, you make so many sacrifices.’
She also recently told the BBC: ‘Stephen’s great. What we’ve done to raise money for the Darby Rimmer Foundation is amazing.
‘Mentally he’s really strong and positive, of course physically things are a lot different for us now.
‘We don’t really ever complain and I think that’s the biggest thing about us is that we are strong together.’
It seems certain that City will continue to play some part in Houghton’s life. In the north-east accent that has never disappeared, she still refers to the club as ‘us.’
She helped spot Lauren Hemp and Jesse Park who are part of the club’s present and future.
Houghton also takes her role as a custodian for the sport seriously. Without being heavy-handed, she wants to educate the current generation on the changes she’s seen.
‘My Dad would pay £250 subs so I could play for Sunderland. We’d be on mini-buses at five in the morning for games in London,’ she recalls.
She is keen to educate the current generation on changes she’s seen in the game over the last few years
Since her final game last week, she has been studying for her coaching badges, and revealed there were men than women on her A license course
There are so many barriers for females to get into sport. It took a lot of stubbornness to prove people wrong.
‘Before I moved to Arsenal, it was pay to play, hand-me-down kits. We didn’t have boot deals.
‘I tell the City players all the time when they think the food is rubbish or haven’t got their boots delivered. I’m like ‘I used to have to get the money off my Mam and Dad and go to the shop.’
‘It’s not like “Back in the day, we did this” but it’s important to keep them grounded and know the sport has been on a bigger journey and we are fortunate to be where we are.’
Houghton, recently been inducted into the National Museum Hall of Fame, replied to every text following the breaking news of her announcement.
‘I don’t think I spoke to Stephen for two hours. It was like ‘Oh my God, I need to stop crying,’ she explains.
The outpouring of affection to Houghton underlined the impact she had. One agent (not hers!) described her as the David Beckham of the women’s game.
Houghton described the 2012 Olympics as ‘a game-changer’ for women’s football and opens up on her role in pushing the game
‘The Olympics was a game-changer,’ she reflects. ‘You were asked to be in front of the cameras for interviews, you had a little bit more pressure to be the voice of women’s football. You realised you needed to give a clear message.
‘The dream would probably have been to leave by winning a trophy with England and do a mic-drop but ultimately there are more important things in life than being a part of that squad in 2022.
‘Being able to lead the country at two World Cups and a Euros was massive. People ask if the 2012 Olympics was a defining moment for women’s football in this country and I do think it was.’
A defining moment that one day could see Steph Houghton MBE or another female manager in a Premier League technical area near you.
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