Tottenham debutant Ella Morris says that a new friendship with Bethany England has helped her to quickly settle in at Hotspur Way.
Morris joined Tottenham from her girlhood club, Southampton, in the summer, but has had to wait for her full debut due to injury, so far only managing a quarter-hour cameo away to Chelsea. The moment finally came on Sunday, though, as she completed 90 minutes on the way to a 2-1 derby win over West Ham.
A marauding full back, she has a knack for bombing forward and has quickly forged a connection both on and off the pitch with Bethany England. The 26-cap Lioness lined up ahead of Morris on the right flank on Sunday, scoring Spurs’ equaliser early in the second half.
On settling in at Tottenham, Morris said: “I was a bit starstruck when I first signed here. I saw Beth England, she’s been someone I’ve really looked up to a long time, but we’ve built up a bit of a friendship now which is really nice.
“To have that partnership with her down the line, I think we really understand each other. She is someone I really look up to. It was a really good experience and I hope to play with her for many seasons to come.”
Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn is also feeling the effects of England’s contributions.
He said: “You need those players who normally score goals to score goals for you. She did that goal, you might say its an easy goal but its not an easy goal because she had the right timing, the right touch and she scored a goal for us, and we need those goals.
“Obviously, she is also a great leader on the pitch, to make sure we help out the other team players to do stuff.”
Morris is a beneficiary of that leadership. To make your full debut in a London derby is no easy feat, but Morris did not buckle under the weight of the occasion. Already an experienced player having made 117 league appearances for Southampton, she was unphased by the occasion, choosing instead to use it as motivation.
“I think the fact that it was a derby helped me get up for it as well, being my first WSL start as well.
“You always know what West Ham are going to bring, I’ve played them in friendlies in the past and they are a very strong physical team.
“It was a really good experience, something I’ve been working towards for a long time. I’ve got it done now, so I just want to build on that and keep improving my performances.”
She added that the transition from the south coast to north London was a smooth one.
“I was probably expecting it to be [a difficult transition], but it was so seamless just because of how good the staff is and how good the girls are.
“I can’t express how great the setup here is. It was just a seamless transition to be honest, and I’m really happy and really settled here.”