When I was growing up, some of the lads weren't very nice about me playing.
“When I was growing up, some of the lads weren't very nice about me playing.”
— Karen Carney · Lads
The World Motivation
When I was growing up, some of the lads weren't very nice about me playing.
“When I was growing up, some of the lads weren't very nice about me playing.”
— Karen Carney · Lads
When I was growing up, some of the lads weren't very nice about me playing.
A woman in my local area decided to put on an opportunity for girls to come and play football for £2 each Sunday. That's how I started.
I don't want the 'supersub' label or anything like that. I just want to come on and express myself and play the best I can.
I looked at it, and it was like, 'Can I push and make the Olympic squad?' It is tough going from 18 players, including Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. I thought that might be a push too far for me. I had no Champions League with Chelsea. I lost my motivation.
And it's important that when you're dual-nationality, you're with a group of lads that you enjoy being with.
I've seen plenty of young lads elevated into the senior squad acting like they have made it.
I'm only 24, which is still young, but I don't think of myself as one of the young lads anymore. I suppose that's how people have always seen me. But there comes a time when you have to take extra responsibility.
When you step up as a young talent, you need to challenge the old lads.
At club level you have a lot of lads getting paid and stuff like that, but you would play for your country just for the love of playing for your country. That's the truth, for me anyway.
When I was 11, I told my mum I would play for England - and by 17, I'd done it.