“Our Way”: City’s double-winning culture | OneFootball

“I think that’s one of my key things, to come in and not try to change the world. It’s about continuing the job that’s been done and take it to the next level.”

Andrée Jeglertz sent out a clear message in his first interview as City Head Coach in July 2025: future success was all about evolution, not revolution.

We’d fallen short of our expectations the season before and few outside the City Football Academy truly believed the Blues could mount a serious challenge for silverware ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

But it would end up being the Club’s most successful season to date… a first league title since 2016 arrived with a game to spare in early May, ending ten years of near misses and heartbreak with a record-equalling points haul.

Just two weeks later, a dominant Wembley win over Brighton then sealed City’s fourth-ever FA Cup and completed the Double for the first time in our history.

This is the story of how Manchester City won the Double ‘Our Way’.

In August 2025, the squad travelled to La Manga for a short training camp ahead of the WSL season, with players enjoying time away from the pitch on bike rides or the padel court.

Sessions were also run with players around squad culture, covering the behaviours – good and bad – they’d noticed within the team and discovering the principles they valued most to create a healthy, winning environment.

Two key elements continued to crop up in the latter of those discussion points: togetherness and belief.

In short, for City to achieve our ambitions of winning major silverware, players and staff had to be brave enough to talk about doing exactly that.

The evidence has been there for a while, including from Alex Greenwood’s remarks after City won the WSL title: “There’ve been moments in the season and a feeling within our four walls where we’ve felt confident.

“We’ve spoken about being winners and confident enough to speak about that, and a shift in mindset to feel comfortable using that language. We’ve worked really hard in those small details of acting, playing and speaking like champions.

“I know it’s sometimes a difficult conversation when you’re not champions yet but it’s a change in body language and thought processes towards games, but now we can say it.”

Key members of staff such as our Director of Operations and Player Support, Lindsay Molyneux, and Lead Performance Lifestyle and Wellbeing Coach, Ruth Nichols, have been instrumental in the forging of that culture.

They also supported and facilitated those initial sessions in La Manga.

“Alex [Greenwood] and Kerstin [Casparij] led on behalf of the group, helping to define what the team stands for and the language that underpins it,” Lindsay explains.

“We actually discussed winning language in detail to really define what this means for us - is it language, behaviours, mentality? And they said: ‘No, we need to talk about it, we really need to say that we want to win’.

“Valuing everyone was another key area. We have such a diverse team of different backgrounds, personalities and experiences, and it’s really important to us that everyone feels they had a voice and is a key part of the team.

“Creating an environment where everyone feels valued isn’t easy, and it’s certainly not something I’ve seen consistently everywhere. It’s a special part of our culture and one of the reasons people can perform to their best here.”

Ruth Nichols continues: “La Manga and this season was a starting point. I don’t think you’re ever finished with culture, so we need to make sure we don’t think we’re there, [but] I think there have been real intentional things along the way.

“People have been able to be open and honest and provided feedback when it might’ve been sat in the background before.

“Winning language was a huge part of the pre-season conversation. It was about actually, in the moment, people might need to be direct and give feedback, and that’s okay, it stays on the pitch, you can debrief and improve.

“We might’ve shied away from that previously, but we’ve named it now.”

Focus groups between players and staff, with different representatives involved each time, have aimed to empower everyone into feeling comfortable voicing any concerns or celebrating any achievements in equal measure.

That’s also included regular check-ins around the culture of the Women’s set-up, rating on a scale of 1-10 how everyone feels the different principles are being adhered to.

Sports Psychologist Alice Munns has also played an integral role in ensuring player and staff culture is consistently acknowledged and celebrated.

“It creates an identity for us,” she explains. “What do we actually stand for? How can we make sure everyone is aligned?

“You’ve got lots of different models, ways, words, but what do we stand for and does everyone agree with it, staff and players?

“‘Our Way’ is just the wording we’ve done to show our own identity and provide us with words we can value, cherish, use and bring in through all different areas.”

City have shown we’re capable of competing at the top level in recent years, but often fell short at the final hurdle, with silverware evading us.

The perception of the Blues being an incredibly close-knit group – often described as ‘Family FC’ on social media – was perhaps a slight, albeit unintentional, double-edged sword.

There’s no question that the desire to be successful has always been there, but was that experience of a clinical edge to dig deep and get over the line when it truly mattered also present?

Well, if there were ever doubts about it beforehand, it was certainly there in 2025/26.

Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill adds: “We’re here to play great football, but also to win. That’s one thing that unites us all.

“Being a good person and a great team-mate is also holding each other accountable, and I think we maybe had an element before of not wanting to challenge because you don’t want to upset people.

“Having those honest conversations, especially in the playing group of ‘these are our standards and these are the standards that are going to get us to win trophies, then we need to hold each other accountable’, and part of that is having some difficult conversations.

“You have to almost all give each other the permission to go there and have those conversations if you need to.”

There’s been clear buy-in from players and staff as well, according to Alice Munns: “When Andrée does his team talk beforehand, he’s using those words in that team talk.

“Whether it’s winning language or togetherness that comes with it, they’re really key points where you can bring back the values.

“It works whatever the situation, if you’re travelling away, after a game, before a game, in training.”

And the evidence of ‘Our Way’ seeping into the way this team goes about their business is clear.

Across all competitions last season excluding extra time, no team in England scored more than City in the final ten minutes of matches.

Of those strikes, 12 came after the 85th minute.

At the other end, we only conceded twice in all competitions in the final five minutes and neither resulted in dropped points.

How many times have we heard Andrée Jeglertz or players talking about ‘finding a way to win’?

How many times did City snatch a late victory, put an opponent to the sword in a title clash, or weather the storm in difficult circumstances?

You don’t grind out results like that if you’re not all pulling in the same direction.

“It’s ultimately setting ourselves up to win,” is Head of Operations Sam Parsons’ assessment.

“We spoke at the start of the season around not being afraid to talk about winning the league. There’s always an understanding of not getting ahead of ourselves and towing that line between confidence and arrogance.

“In my role specifically you’re planning for all different sorts of scenarios but without a doubt the one thing I always plan first is “if we win this game, what happens?”.

“My conversations with Andrée and Alex [Greenwood] are ‘when we win’, and that’s an inward focused conversation, it’s not going out and shouting that we’re going to win the lot but that sort of confidence in-house among us is there.

“Confidence breeds confidence, and you end up making your own luck.”

But City have also enjoyed moments of downtime together and have struck a healthy balance between elite focus and team bonding.

Ice cream and coffee vans have surprised players and staff after training during particularly gruelling schedules, while there’s also been a unified effort to organise social gatherings away from the demands of the usual calendar.

A Halloween fancy dress party saw players and staff take part in a ‘catwalk’ in their respective costumes, and a special quiz was decided by a dance-off between representatives from two winning teams.

Elsewhere, players and staff have also regularly met outside the CFA for activities, meals and small gatherings, with tables mixed up between departments to encourage integration with less familiar colleagues.

An ‘Our Way’ board also has a permanent place in the lounge, allowing for players and staff to write down and share examples of the Club’s values being demonstrated that week, however small the gesture.

Despite the different demands and work patterns of each individual, the opportunity to get to know each other outside a footballing capacity has created a real sense of trust and understanding.

The Club’s collaboration with Evelyn Partners, our Women’s First Team’s Official Wealth Management Partner, is a prime example of this.

Conversations between the squad and Performance Lifestyle and Wellbeing around financial advice were passed on to the Partnerships team who, already considering Evelyn as an attractive, forward-thinking potential partner, struck a deal to provide important education around wealth management for our players.

As former Head of Commercial Partnerships Annabelle Ng explains: “Wealth isn’t just money, it’s also your assets, your attitude to money, your attitude to your career.

“Those conversations haven’t actually been done in a systematic or planned way so, for us, it actually came from the Performance Lifestyle team reaching out.

“Players didn’t have a wealth management advisor and had asked if we have anything and, as a club, we support our players in so many different ways, but we can’t give individualised financial advice as it wouldn’t be appropriate.

“We felt that a third party coming in and doing it, though, would be a huge benefit.

“It’s doing the right thing for the player, which I think is a central theme that every department works towards.”

That buy-in and trust across the board has also delivered results on the pitch.

City looked destined to bow out of the FA Cup semi-finals at Stamford Bridge in May 2026, trailing Chelsea by two goals before a miraculous late turnaround forced extra time.

Despite being 2-0 down in the 86th minute, there was a sense of inevitability when Mary Fowler halved the deficit, with a Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw brace then deservedly sending us to Wembley.

City had been celebrating a WSL title win just four days earlier, but Chelsea simply didn’t have an answer for the stamina, energy and nous of Jeglertz’s side.

In the week leading up to the game, our Head Coach had allowed for Nutrionists Sam McHaffie and Sarah Malone to regularly speak in team meetings with players to outline our plan for Stamford Bridge in the event of the game going to extra time.

“Earlier in the season we did a workshop on matchday fuelling and trying to educate the squad on it,” Sarah begins.

“We’d not been to extra time before this season and, when you consider we were playing Chelsea as well, we knew it could be a really intense game.

“Because Andrée was so relaxed about us coming into meetings and appreciates the importance of nutrition, we spoke about half-time fuelling and about making sure we’re topping up the energy stores and, on the off chance we go to extra time, what does it look like.

“We put gels across the pitch in the corners, behind the goals, the touchline, just in case they needed that energy top up, and also had it hanging up in the changing rooms, just reinforcing what it’d look like.

“The players absolutely smashed it, and I think they really valued the importance of it.”

The new Women’s First Team Facility has already played a crucial role in helping City perform at our best, with players and staff now all under one roof and interacting on a daily basis.

One of the most striking elements of this world-leading facility is the dining and lounge area.

With stunning natural light, tables of varying sizes dotted around and a large open space to use the state-of-the-art coffee machine (a favourite among players), you feel like you’re stepping into a Northern Quarter coffee house.

It’s a very deliberate move to encourage players and staff to feel comfortable spending more time in the building.

As Emma Deakin, Director of Performance Services, explains: “It sounds like a little thing, but if you have players calling for a coffee on the way into the CFA, that’s 15 minutes when they’re not in the building but could be.

“What it means is we’ve got the players in a performance space for longer. That extra 15 minutes might be a nutrition one-to-one, or a female athlete health screening.

“We have that availability now, it’s comfortable and it doesn’t feel like a formal meeting because we can do it in the lounge over a coffee.”

The dining area is designed as a safe, respectful environment for players and staff to relax and decompress.

Aside from one subtle wooden Manchester City badge carved into the wall – which very much goes with the overall design - the space is devoid of branding or information around food education.

An open plan kitchen allows the Club’s top-class chefs to chat with players and staff around menu suggestions or any dietary queries and concerns.

Foods from varying cultures are also readily available, from jacket potatoes to jerk chicken, with personalised chopsticks also introduced for our Japanese players.

Performance Nutritionist Sam McHaffie, who was instrumental in the design of the space, adds: “I’d noticed before we had those chopsticks, our Japanese players would go for disposable rather than reusable ones as, within a household, people have their own set which get washed.

“It’s just their culture, so that’s something we did for them, and they really appreciated it.

“Less than half our team is British, so there’s a lot to consider in order to meet the needs of the team on any particular day.

“Making sure we have chopsticks for the Japanese players, making sure we have vegemite because Mary Fowler loves that and it’s not readily available in the UK, making sure the rice cooker is available at all times for Ayaka Yamashita and Aemu Oyama in particular, who often enjoy it with nori strips for breakfast.

“That meal can meet your needs just as much as another on training that day. The make-up is the same in terms of nutrients to what another player has, we’re just not used to seeing it in our country.

“Coffee plays a huge role as well. Within loads of different cultures, it’s a central part of social gatherings and building relationships. We have conversations over coffee and that machine has almost become a social hub in the room.

“Players and staff are competitive about latte art and getting each other’s orders right, so they’re likely to stay now and have a coffee here. It’s really significant.”

Sarah Malone continues: “Being here for breakfast and lunch, there’s a real difference in atmosphere.

“Everyone seems so happy and it’s brought everyone closer together.

“You see staff and players sitting at the same table which I think is a massive win and helps with the overall culture.”

One of the key reasons why the dining and lounge areas have gone down so well with the players is perhaps due to one of their team-mates having an important role in it.

With typical humility, Laura Coombs plays down her role in the design and planning of the space…

“I love it, I love walking in there knowing I might not be here but the stuff I worked on will be there.

“I worked mainly on the restaurant area and the lounge, just furniture and visuals, things like that. Sam [McHaffie] needs to take more credit, though!

“In the restaurant, we discussed that those are key times, so we don’t want people to be rushing off and feel they’re not comfortable.

“We really took our time in making sure the space was actually restaurant like, so you can sit there and have your coffee in the morning, have gorgeous food all around.

“We did smaller tables than we’re used to as well, to encourage that ‘everyone around the table’ feel.

“When you go up there, you sit with different people every day which encourages more integration too. You could sit on a table for two as well, so if I needed to sit in the sun and be on my own for a bit, for example, I could sit there by myself.”

Away from the restaurant and lounge, world class gym facilities, hydrotherapy, a stunning circular changing room and office space also play a crucial role in allowing players and staff to perform at their maximum in their respective fields.

Even a quick walk around the facility provides tangible evidence of the ‘Our Way’ culture in practice.

An open plan office space lends itself to healthy communication between staff members across varying disciplines, including Jeglertz and his coaching staff, Director of Football Therese Sjogran and Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill, who’s doors remain open… both figuratively and often quite literally.

Elsewhere, ‘We will find a way to win’ is etched onto the wall of the boot room as players walk out onto the pitch, while a list of the Club’s honours also greets you each morning at reception.

Even the meeting rooms are part of the approach, named ‘Pioneers’ and ‘Winners’.

“It’s a massive part of our everyday that we wanted little nudges and touchpoints,” Lindsay Molyneux explains.

“We want to show that winning is everywhere here, and also why we’re here. By making it front and centre, it reminds everyone it’s not just about winning because it’s nice, it’s because that’s what we’re driving to do.”

Emma Deakin continues: “I think owning a space and feeling like you really belong somewhere, that’s massive.

“Especially young players and new players coming into an environment that they feel like it’s theirs and they can be a part of something.

“They should feel special, because they are.”

Having an outstanding new facility is one thing, but it’s only as effective as the attitudes and culture of those within it.

At its heart are five key drivers: Ruth Nichols, Lindsay Molyneux, Andrée Jeglertz, Alex Greenwood and Kerstin Casparij.

They are, of course, not alone in that among staff and players, but their drive to ensure ‘Our Way’ is weaved into the fabric of the team has been crucial.

“That’s been one of the key things,” Ruth Nichols – who alongside Lindsay Molyneux runs the regular focus groups among players and staff – explains.

“The ‘Our Way’ pillars aren’t sat in a drawer; it’s not just words on a piece of paper that nobody’s really behind.

“Now, it’s been a real intentional piece of work we’ve continued to come back to and reference.

“Andrée’s using the words, it’s really embedded in our culture now. There’s a real sense that togetherness has won us the league… those words wouldn’t have been used in that context before.

“We’ve continued to be intentional around it as a group.”

“Alex has really developed as a leader over the two seasons that she’s been captain, so it’s been really lovely to see how she’s grown and evolved within the role,” Charlotte O’Neill continues.

“Although she’s super experienced, we had Steph [Houghton] as captain for a really long time and Alex leads in a different way. So, it’s been great to see her develop, and her and Andrée have a really special relationship.

“He’s a pleasure to work with, he’s challenging and demanding but he’s also fair, reasonable and really good fun.

“It’s been wonderful to see their relationship evolve and others within that leadership group, Kerstin as Vice and others who are super experienced in the group like Viv [Miedema], Rebecca [Knaak], Bunny [Shaw].

“Andrée’s been really good at dialling into different players and their strengths at the right times. You can see on the pitch and around the games how much the players love him and how much he and the other coaches love them.

“It’s a real team effort and again that’s another key part of our culture. Leadership isn’t about one or two people, it’s individual leadership, taking responsibility and leading in your own way.”

Laura Coombs is also quick to highlight the impact that Alex and Kerstin’s enthusiasm to drive the culture of the team has also had on fellow players.

“Even the young ones are stepping up to it as well. It comes from captains, from Alex and Kerstin, and people know you can go to them and your opinion and voice is important.

“We had loads of chats in pre-season about how everyone can feel valued and I think the work done now shows in the team.”

Individuals stepping up and being comfortable taking the lead has once again been a crucial element of City’s success on the pitch.

It’s a cyclical process – and another key ingredient behind the Blues’ remarkable ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on several occasions last season.

While sticking to agreed tactics and patterns, players feel confident to approach match scenarios pragmatically, and empowered to solve the problems as a group.

Jeglertz has described Vivianne Miedema in particular as a coach on the pitch for him, but it’s not just the Dutch international who’s taken on that responsibility.

As supporters will have noticed, pre-match huddles are delivered by a number of different players, while the post-match debrief on the pitch includes the staff as well.

Whenever City players have been asked to describe how it’s felt playing for the Blues this season under Jeglertz, one word has been consistent across the board: freedom.

“One thing I’ve been really impressed by from Andrée is his trust in the players,” Sam Parsons adds.

“We see the players talk a lot about freedom but the trust in them on and off the pitch, them making their own decisions.

“They might want to do things together, nine times out of ten they want staff there as well. Andrée’s given that trust to the players, and I’m absolutely not saying it wasn’t there before, but he’s incredibly trusting in that sense.”

Greenwood is also full of praise for the Swede’s impact: “I love the responsibility the manager’s given me, Andrée’s been incredible with me personally and allowed me to be vulnerable at times.

“I almost lead the team, but he leads the whole group. We can lean on each other in moments, how the group’s feeling, how I’m feeling, how he’s feeling.

“That’s been really important for me to have those conversations with him, but leading this group has been, one - really easy because they’re a fantastic group of girls, and two - a challenge at times because I suppose as a captain you want to be the one who drives the team a lot which I think I do.

“But it’s also important to be vulnerable at times, show emotion, show you care and I do really care about this team and Club a lot.”

As Ruth Nichols explained, winning culture doesn’t have an ‘end point’. It’s an ever-evolving concept which adapts to meet fresh demands, challenges and opportunities.

But with a world class squad, incredible facilities, aligned and motivated staff and a hunger for future success, City will hope to win in ‘Our Way’ on many more occasions in the coming seasons.

Charlotte O’Neill’s parting message sums things up perfectly.

“The future is incredibly exciting. We’re still one of the youngest teams in the league and have a top manager, brilliant staff who are so elite in all their respective fields, all pulling together in the same direction.

“We’ve got this foundation now and amazing facility, we’re investing heavily into our girls’ academy, so the pipeline of talent will start to come through.

“So, I am extremely excited, proud of what we’ve been able to achieve but also proud knowing this isn’t a group saying, 'we’ve done it once and now that’s it'.

“I know this is a group of players and staff that want more. There’s an insatiable appetite to bring long term success to this Club, over and over again.

“We know how difficult it is to win the WSL and other trophies, but I think we all share that same hunger and desire to bring many more trophies back here.”

Design: James WrightWords: George Kelsey

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