EXCLUSIVE: “It’s a privilege” – Cori Williams-Mills on taking the reins at Gwalia United | OneFootball

Cori Williams-Mills (Gwalia United)

Cori Williams-Mills took charge of Gwalia United for the first time on Sunday – and she tells SheKicks.net: “It was honestly the most stressful day of my life, I think!”

She is the fourth manager the team has had in the space of a year, following Fern Burrage-Male, James Thomas, and most recently Stevie McCarthy-Campbell.

Williams-Mills is a long-serving player and captain at the only Welsh club in the English pyramid. Gwalia United were perhaps better known previously as Cardiff City Ladies, with the likes of Jess Fishlock and Sophie Ingle both alumnae before they moved on to the professional game.

And Williams-Mills now has the responsibility of steering this famous team – with more than half a century of history in the women’s game – away from the foot of the FA Women’s National League Southern Premier.

Their 2-1 win over Billericay Town got them out of the bottom two, with AFC Wimbledon unable to add to their points tally after their game was postponed due to weather. It gave Gwalia United a huge psychological boost.

“You’ve got the points, so other teams have got to go and get them,” says Williams-Mills. “It was really nice that obviously my first game and then the first game of the year that we could just win it and build on that.”

Cori Williams-Mills: I never get stressed!

Feeling stressed on the sidelines is a new feeling for the former Wales international – who will continue to play when required, and named herself on the bench, but is currently dealing with a small calf injury.

“When I play football, I never get stressed, never really get nervous because you feel like you’re more in control. I felt Sunday that I had no control – I physically can’t do anything to affect the game. So it was a really, really strange thing. I really enjoyed it. I did, but it was just a completely different sort of feeling that I can’t do anything to control the last 15 minutes. I was like, ‘I’ve thrown all my cards at it. There’s nothing more now that I can physically do.’

“And to be fair to the girls, last 15 minutes, they were excellent.”

Gwalia’s two goals came in the closing minutes – a penalty from captain Beth McGowan, and the winner from substitute Georgia Walters – snatching all three points frrom Billericay, who have yet to gain a point this season.

“If we had scored earlier, in the first half, I think it could have been a different game. Fair play to Billericay, I thought they were excellent. On the day, I thought they were better than us.”

Williams-Mills: I love this club

Williams-Mills was confirmed as Gwalia’s new head coach late last week – but she reveals to SheKicks.net that she has been asked to take the role on previously, and has always turned it down, saying she hasn’t been ready for it.

“When people now ask me, ‘What was the reason this time you said yes?’, from my point of view, I feel like the girls just deserve a bit more and just that little bit better. I love football. I love the club and I will literally give the girls everything I’ve got and I feel that’s what they need and deserve right now.”

With a day job in property renovation plus a sideline in coaching in the Swansea City academy, Williams-Mills recalls paying subs to play for the team when she was starting out. An independent team without a men’s club providing support, finance and infrastructure, Gwalia United are in a challenging position in a third tier that is rapidly moving towards professionalisation.

Williams-Mills has plenty of praise for the club’s owners and the backing they offer her and the team.

“I’m literally manager of what I think is the best team in Wales – that is crazy. I’ve thought about people who’ve done it before, and people who’ve played for the club, and it’s such a privilege and an honour to be thought of to do it and then be given the chance to go and do it. It’s massive.”