Emily Lima: Corinthians debut, squad management, youth plans | OneFootball

In an exclusive interview with Central do Timão, coach Emily Lima, head of Corinthians Women's team, talked about her start at the club, the challenges after debuting in a classic match, managing a multi-champion squad, and plans to integrate the youth categories into the professional team.

The conversation took place at CT Doutor Joaquim Grava and covered everything from tactical issues and team environment to personal aspects of the coach's career.

Photo: Reproduction / YouTube Central do Timão

At the beginning of the interview, Emily commented on her first month leading Corinthians and the feeling of taking charge of one of the most successful teams in Brazilian women's football.

“I am very happy, being able to do what I love, enjoying this moment, this opportunity that Corinthians has created in my life, provided in my life. Not only am I happy. We are happy because everyone who came with me is able to enjoy this moment and do the work in the best possible way, as we always strive to do.”

Debut in a classic and reaction after the defeat

The coach also analyzed her debut leading the team, which happened in a classic match, and explained how she seeks to shield the group after adverse results. According to Emily, the focus of the work is on learning from the match and keeping the group focused on upcoming commitments.

“I think the hard blow came at a good time. I think it was a debut with a competitive team, from which we have to take lessons, seek everything that was positive in this game and always bring the best to them. The things that didn't go so well, I think we need to adjust, not eliminate, as if nothing had happened.”

“And shielding, the only thing I can say about shielding is to keep working. So shielding is, the following week, already being focused on América-MG, which is what we have to think about, seeking the three points at home, and criticism is part of the process. I'm not very connected to social media, I'm not very connected to these things, so it doesn't affect me at all.”

“I've always thought a lot about learning from each game, regardless of whether it ends in victory or not. I always use the games to prepare myself better for the following week because it doesn't stop, right? The clock keeps ticking, the days keep passing, and we already have América-MG ahead. Then, in the same week, there's another game against Botafogo, then Bragantino, and so it doesn't stop,” she added.

Managing a multi-champion squad

Another point addressed was the challenge of maintaining competitiveness in a squad accustomed to winning titles. For Emily, the secret lies in internal competitiveness and the constant pursuit of evolution.

“I think it's the healthy competitiveness among them and not getting complacent with the situation because that's already part of the past. If you want to write new stories, victorious stories, it's about the day-to-day. If you stop doing that, you won't have a good story to tell. So today they have a good and positive story to tell because of everything that was done at the time. If they keep doing it, they will have good stories to tell.”

“Otherwise, they will start telling not-so-good and not-so-victorious stories. So I don't see it as something difficult. It's up to us to motivate them every day, taking them — and not just them, the whole group that works off the field, the technical staff, medical staff, the entire staff — out of their comfort zone, seeking the best from each one to enhance our players every day.”

The pressure of leading Corinthians

During the interview, Emily also explained a phrase that marked her presentation at the club: when she stated that Corinthians is “more than a national team.”

“I think it's the size. The size of the club is something that surprises. The club, the pressure, the fans, so you put yourself in a much bigger position than a national team. So it was something said, thought of because of the greatness of the club where we accepted this challenge. If we accepted this challenge, it's because we already knew we would enjoy and suffer, in quotes, from the pressure for this victorious history that has occurred.”

“But we handle it well in the sense that it's day-to-day. With victories coming, things change. I think it's very much about the day-to-day, us with the athletes, the athletes with us. I always use the word enjoy. So, if we compare or say that Corinthians is more than a national team, it's because we are in a very high-level and competitive place, and we have to enjoy this moment.”

Relationship with the players and style of demand

The coach also commented on how she conducts daily work with the squad, known for being demanding in the training environment.

“Positive nag? Well, I need to see this positive nag (she joked). Actually, it is a positive nag. We try to take them out of their comfort zone, and that bothers them. Often, changes also bother them. Some who were already used to it, because they had already worked with me, helped me a lot in this regard.”

“She will be a nag, she will be this and that, but it's on the positive side. It's trying to get the best out of them, trying to take them out of their comfort zone. I haven't found ways not to be this nagging and insistent person in taking them out of their comfort zone. I don't think that in these moments, without being the nag, we can achieve the results we need individually for each player. But all the 'nags' will always be for the improvement of each player's performance.”

Looking at the squad and adapting to the group

Emily also highlighted the balance of the squad and the evolution of the athletes she already knew, as well as the players she started working with recently.

“All of them. All those I hadn't worked with yet caught my attention, and all those I had worked with also, because they evolved a lot as people and as athletes. So we have a very competitive group, a very good group, and I can't name one player or two or three.”

“I think the group is adapting, shaping, and so are we. This is the path for us to continue winning. The demand is so high that if you don't win everything, it's as if you haven't won. So it's about rekindling that desire, that spark to pursue all competitions.”

Integration with the youth categories

Another topic addressed was the work with Corinthians' youth categories and the possibility of promoting athletes to the main team.

“Due to the week of my arrival being very hectic, in the sense of having to do everything very quickly, we waited for these first days to pass to start working with the youth categories. We had a first meeting at the beginning of this week, and it was very good. We already generated many topics, and one of them is the creation of a training curriculum so that we can have a base to bring a better-prepared player to the professional level.”

“Speaking of the goal, it is to reach the professional level increasingly better. I always work in relation to the group, rarely highlighting any player. I think the highlight of this player is fulfilling functions along with the others so that she can stand out. But we have a very interesting group from the under-15, under-16, under-17, and under-20. We are already watching games of the Brazilian Championship. It is the beginning of work that can bear fruit by promoting players to the professional level in the medium and long term.”

Formation of athletes and development in women's football

The coach also talked about the importance of athlete formation and the differences between development in men's and women's football.

“I think our view is very collective, especially speaking of formation. Formation for me is one of the most important jobs a club has. Unfortunately, today football is a business, an absurd market where many stages in formation are skipped, especially in men's football, because I need to win on the weekend and not develop a player. In women's football, we have a greater work gap. Even though speaking of Corinthians, there is the pressure to win, we want to work to develop the youth athletes in the best way.”

Differences between a career as a player and as a coach

Emily also reflected on the change of role in football after ending her career as an athlete.

“I think the professional part changes a lot. One thing is to come to training with everything ready and meet the objectives within the training. Another is having to set all this up and, post-training, still be here evaluating everything that was done. So they are totally different things. It's much easier to be a player than to be a coach. But in the human part, I think nothing changes.”

“I always sought to be a positive leader in the teams where I played. Many times I was the team captain. I had a very tough childhood, with a Portuguese father who prepared me for life. All this prepared me when I was an athlete, and today as a coach, I can quickly handle many difficult situations and pass this on to the players.”

Difference between generations in football

Finally, Emily commented on the behavioral differences between generations of athletes.

“A lot of difference, but a lot indeed, they are totally different generations. In the past, you saw someone older and said sir or ma'am, good morning, good afternoon, and good night. Today I see that this no longer exists. We have lost a lot in the educational part. I try to teach this to my daughter because it helped me a lot in life. Sometimes I joke with my mother that we were taught wrong for today's world because the wrong has become right, and the right has become wrong. But, even though it's difficult, it's always about trying to do the right and most honest thing possible.”

Message to the Faithful Fans

At the end of the interview, the coach left an invitation for the fans to support the team at Neo Química Arena.

“I ask the fans to attend, to be the 12th player. I think they deserve a lot of the support they have always given them. I hope we can put on a great game for them to enjoy. We look forward to seeing all of you at Neo Química Arena on Monday (23).”

After the interview, Corinthians Women's team remains focused on competing in the Brazilian Championship. The team returns to the field next Monday (23), at 9 PM (Brasília time), against América-MG, at Neo Química Arena, for the fourth round of the competition.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.