The Netball Show
S7 Ep84: Jess Thirlby (01st Nov 2024)
(upbeat music) - Hi, this is Nat Metcalf. Flyhawk have developed a unique 3D kit designer that's fully customizable. So if you're looking for a new kit for your team for the new season, visit flyhawk.com or email info@flyhawk.com with your ideas now. - Nation Player is the easy to use, one-stop radio and audio app. Download Nation Player now on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Nation Player, where on are you? - The netball show with Flyhawk. Raising the bar for netball and winning sports. - Netball show with Flyhawk, just there'll be. We cannot start on the news that England are now second in the world. So big couple of weeks is an understatement. How are you feeling? - Firstly, I think the recognition for the team is like a really important moment. I think it's been, it's really hard to kind of like alter those world rankings and it's taken us a long time and most probably a number of results, spanning the last two or three years to even get close to doing that. So I think as with any kind of achievement, it isn't really important to pause and acknowledge that. And yeah, from my perspective, the recognition for the player group, both here and now, but those that have gone before over the last few years is a really nice thing, but we understand how complex that ranking system is. It's not easy, as I say, to kind of swap positions. So at any given moment when that happens, it's a really great achievement. And also brilliant for World Netball. You know, I anticipate that there'll be a shuffling of teams in that kind of top four or five from here on in. And I think that's a really healthy place for the sport. And definitely something I've said before. You know, I think there's a real appetite in World Netball to continue to make it difficult to know the results of games amongst the best teams in the world. And hopefully, you know, there are other teams that also join in that party. So to be a part of that is great. And I'm just really pleased that the team's hard work over a long period of time has that recognition. But, you know, there are many ways by which we have to measure our success. And that's just one. - I expect you more than more still be aware of we are one year into that four year cycle. So that challenge to you and the rest of the squad will be about maintaining that over the next couple of months, really. - Yeah, of course. I think that this isn't about kind of overnight success. Like we know that we're on a really important journey, but we also appreciate and really value like the progress that we're making. I think heading into Commonwealth Games, we'd already built some momentum in terms of starting to show signs of improvement against the team's ranked above us. And then off the back of that, really super motivated as we headed into the World Cup. And that's why I'm saying like these things deserve acknowledgement, they certainly don't happen overnight. And the players and the staff group continue to put themselves in, you know, the best possible situation to represent our country the best we can. And I think consistency of performance is something that every coach will speak of. And that is certainly going to be our big challenge now. The fact that we were able to go on tour, play Australia and New Zealand, make some more history with some of the results that we got. You know, we're not satisfied with everything. I think that's really important. This group are, we're really restless to kind of like chase the next thing. But at the same time, you know, it is important to kind of pause and go, you know, winning against both those nations in their backyard is not something that England have ever made a habit of. And we haven't done that yet either. But I think it's a really important part of the journey towards 2027 that beating Australia in front of $13,000 he fans in the very arena where the World Cup will be held is an important, not just a technical and tactical step forward, but a psychological one as much as anything. And it's the nature of that game, the fact that we were in the game pretty much goal for goal. The margin was so slim throughout the 60 minutes. I think to kind of show that physical and psychological robustness for me is the huge step forward. And let's not forget this is an evolving team. It's a very changed team since last summer at the World Cup. So to be getting results like that now with an evolving team is a really positive sign. And I think to kind of go into New Zealand and be able to kind of back up some results we've had over in New Zealand over recent years is again really, really pleasing. But the work, you know, we're going to come up against Jamaica in a couple of weeks time. And they too were a team on the up, you know, ever since the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, we're under no illusion as to the strength of that Jamaica side. I think they're everyone's favorite team. So, you know, I think it's important that we will always stay very humble. We're hard working, but we're very proud to pull on that red dress. And hopefully our fans are two of some of the recent successes that we've had and can be rest assured that we're on the hunt for more. And we understand that consistency is still something that we've got to chase. Great to say. I don't know if you saw that recent called sport article where Dem nalene said that the wheels are falling off. Maybe a little bit harsh on New Zealand, especially given the win over Australia they had. Yeah, look, I think I think every team is on their own journey. And I think we're, we can most probably as head coaches all point towards critical moments. Sometimes that is related to results. Sometimes it's just about the way in which you're performing that at the time, however harsh and brutal they feel, they are part of the journey. They are often the moments that kind of spur you on to pay attention to certain areas, to make changes. And I don't think New Zealand, Australia, us, Jamaica, any of the teams could ignore the fact that we've all had those moments. And if you stay in an optimistic mode and you're, you know, you're very much clear on the direction that you headed in, you use all of those wins, losses and draws to kind of drive you towards it. Ultimately, however, cliched it sound, they all provide you with information as a head coach. So I certainly don't think the wheels have fallen off New Zealand. Really respectful of those nations, both above us and around us. And long may that continue, you know, we, we know it's not going to be easy to compete with these teams moving forward. But I couldn't be more excited about the talent that we've got in the roses at the moment and not just in the, the roses cohort that we've got, but also the future roses and, and the roses academy, like it's, this is exactly where I hoped that we could start to move the whole of the system five years ago when I came into the post. And it's, it's just so great to see in an exciting space to, to kind of see the programme at the moment. Jess, stay there recently. I spoke to Tracey Neve and asked her about the differences between when she was the England head coach to now. I feel like it was in a different era. I think, I think the, you know, the, the roses programme is still continuing. And I think that is huge plus for England netball. And the roles is going forward at the moment currently until, obviously, we see what the 2.0 Super League season brings and where professionalisation starts to head. I think the ability for them girls to be training full time in an environment is still important, even though some people would go against that. So I think the continuation of the professionalised programme at international level and the roses and the ability for them to train together in the down season, in non club season is really, really important and really valuable. And I feel that the embedding of the players, I feel that I don't feel there's any real difference between like sort of Jess's values and my values in respect to bringing that crop of youngsters through. We've, we've seen over the last, is it, has she been imposed for about just over five years now, and we've seen that crop of youngsters come through, which is, you did also saw in my cycle. And that's what that roses programme is there for. And, and I think that you've seen that there's, you know, when you're working with players consistently in that environment, and you've seen New Zealand, all the consolation caught, that blood in of them youngsters is hugely important. And in that last series, you know, the ability for live to sheen to take on that particular role, you know, there's been a lot of back work there from her club and also the roses programme to be able to get her up to that standard. And I think some people forget here that stepping onto the pace of the game is hugely important. I think that's what sometimes some crop super netball you saw when England played in the first game, it took them a little bit to get onto the pace of the game. And that is something that you try and replicate in training, but it's really hard until you get out there. Likewise, when obviously New Zealand played that series against England, they stepped onto the pace of the game, unbelievable, which I thought they were off the pace of the game at the start. So I think from our point of view, I think the values around progressing England netball, you know, creating your own history. I think that has been really important over this last five years for Jess. And I think I think she's done that very well. And, you know, she's, she got to a World Cup final, she's being New Zealand in a test series. I think then milestones are hugely important. If you're going to go for gold medal at the next come off games or World Cup. Chrissy mentions there the likes of Joe. What editions did Chani and Joe bring to the recent games? Yeah, look, I've always seen value in it's not just Joe. You know, like we've had a lot of former players. I came into a post with a relatively new team. And then we we had a lot of kind of turnover of some of those senior players like a Joe and a Serena. Luckily, we've had like the likes of Beth return, you know, Jeeva, Chelsea. So they were always kind of towards the end of their career. And I was very conscious, actually, of being quite intentional with what skills and attributes to those players have not simply their knowledge and experience on the court, but also as characters. What other skills did I see in them that should be celebrated and harnessed by us as a program? And, you know, you guys will have seen some examples of that through Serena and Joe more recently. So Joe is an excellent player and person and coach to keep around the group. And it's worked well. It's obviously been very narrow. Joe's on a on a big journey. She's still playing and performing for her club in the best league in the world currently. And so from a coaching perspective, I guess it's been a lovely hybrid of keeping Joe on board heading into the World Cup was because she she knows the team. She knows the ambition that we had. And she could she was given freedom in in a very kind of narrow and boundary area to to have the biggest and best impact. And I really value that in Joe. And it's been lovely that we've been able to reconnect in the series more recently. So yeah, you know, like with regards to the comment from Tracy, of course, like it's it's always been my coaching approach any way around. I feel really passionately about trying to know when and how to transition young players into senior teams. And sometimes, you know, we don't always get that perfectly right. Or you will get some surprises along the way. But I think the one fortunate opportunity I had when I came into this post is I didn't have much choice. You know, we had an agent and evolving team. We had a lot of players that had yet to have been given their opportunity in the red dress. And since then, I mean, we've had so many brilliant success stories of youngsters breaking into the side and being so well supported with those players around them. And it's a real testament, I think, to the leadership qualities and the willingness of this player group to wrap their arms around each other and have a crack, you know, like they have big ambition. And you've got the likes of Fran and an imo and a Helen, you know, like these are players that back in the World Cup, which doesn't feel that long ago, aside from Helen, weren't necessarily out on court starting seven. They are now the senior players. And the way in which they've embraced that and started to allow others to come through and flourish, I think it's such a lovely thing to see. And as you say, this recent tour has shown the world what I already know and believe in terms of the talent that we've got in this group. But, you know, it's important that they go out there and do it for themselves. And I think it's lovely to have obviously seen the likes of Liv and Lois, you know, get out on court and show people the ability that they've got, which I have the privilege of seeing in camp all the time. So yeah, it's a lovely place to be. Almost that maturity then. Yeah, definitely. I mean, we've we've had some big, you know, we've had hard lessons. We've had tough results. We've had some great results in between. And I think that the biggest shift for me has been in that kind of maturity. And I guess just being a little bit more calmer in those moments, handling the pressure, really, of the expectation, being prepared, I think, to kind of like back ourselves. You know, I think for a long time, teams most probably felt we were going to cough up enough ball that they may be always did have the upper hand. And I think we've really tried to address some of those big markers, big metrics that we know winning teams at this level consistently do well. And I think that we've got some real super strengths now, maybe stronger than others in the world, even those ranked above us. You know, I think we were really pleased with some of our team defence. I think that's becoming a great strength of ours. But as you say, I think that kind of psychological readiness and robustness is developing and we just seem to be kind of like trusting ourselves and backing ourselves a little bit more. And I know I've said it a couple of times in different environments, but we've got a group here with players in it who have watched those go before them the last kind of five, six, seven years, who have shown them what it takes to win and therefore that they don't come into this group with any real baggage or hangover of, you know, losing all the time. That's not kind of where this group are at now. So I think that there's a really great energy amongst this group. And there is a strengthened belief that we're capable and we're not going to walk all the time, but you have to start, you have to have that mental toughness to kind of back yourself. And that's why it's really refreshing because as any group will evolve, you get another generation, right? These got, I mean, most of these don't even realise I played at some point. It's, you know, we're long past the point of, you know, they've been looking up to the Jeevers, the Chelsea's, the Joes, the Serena's. They've seen that Commonwealth Games Gold. And since then, they've seen roses teams that can be Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, South Africa. And whilst I know, as I said, we want to find a way to repeat that and elevate our performances from a psychological point of view. That's most probably been one of the biggest shifts, as well as paying real attention to some of our technical and tactical areas that we needed to compete better at. Next then is obviously those games in the Horizon series against Jamaica on the 16th and 17th, especially in a way because there's lots of history there as well. And right came to play where we are at this moment in time. Yeah, I mean, what an exciting few months for World Netball. You know, like, if you're a fan of Netball, you've been treated, haven't you, in terms of recent series between ourselves, Australia, New Zealand, the Concarp and now as we head out against Jamaica, like it's, yeah, I think what a great couple of months, especially with South Africa and Malawi also playing against each other. So it is absolutely something that I'm really proud and pleased that as England Netball, we've been able to secure such an important series for the longer term, you know, like to match up against Jamaica at this time of the year where we give them the best chance of bringing the strongest team. And I make no apologies for the fact that I don't want to play a Jamaica side that aren't full strength. It's really important that we get really authentic match ups against them and know if and where those gaps are between us and the Jamaican style of play. So I'm really excited. I'm so pleased that we've been able to play them the last couple of years because it is difficult to establish that. But to have this new Horizon series now, I'm in both our calendar and World Netball's calendar, I think is a really exciting step forward and a slightly different kind of format for us, obviously home in a way that in itself poses some different challenges for us and back to back games, which will be the first time since kind of Nations Cup where we have to be able to go out the next day and back it back up. And it's the team that can adapt quickest and build on their performance 24 hours earlier. I love that challenge and there's no bigger one. I don't think at the moment, you know, Jamaica are certainly a team, as I say, if you're not a Roses fan, I'm sure, you know, second to us, a lot of people love and admire what the Jamaicans do and the flair and style of play and rightly so. So it's going to be really hotly contested series for matches to have two backs back in Manchester. We've been welcomed there so warmly love the Manchester crowd and the following. So hopefully they can get behind us and get us over the line in what will be our two home fixtures before we jump on a plane over to Jamaica. Tickets for these games at the ALO Arena, available online, England.co.uk. In the meantime, just thank you as always for your time. No problem. Thanks for having me. The net will show is now also available via SkyQ and Sky Glass. Select Sport and we're on the Podcasts Rail.
Jess Thirlby - England Head Coach - spoke to us about England reaching No.2 in the World Netball Rankings