‘Many ways to hunt’ – Palace’s fight for WSL survival

Although Crystal Palace is vying to survive in the Women’s Super League, Leif Smerud, the new manager, doesn’t want them to be easy targets.

The Norwegian claims that he wants them to “hunt” and “fight” for scraps.

After Palace fell four points short of the top, Smerud joined the club this month when they fired former manager Laura Kaminski.

Smerud, who led Norway’s men’s and women’s national teams, is gearing up Palace for a crucial game against second-place Aston Villa on Sunday (15:00 GMT) at the age of 48.

They have seven games left to win points this season, and Smerud’s message to his players has been clear: they can’t give up.

I don’t want to run and run away scared. We must exhibit bravery. Smerud said, “We have very little to lose, but it’s easy to be scared.”

“Huntering is a variety of activities. Finding a different way to hunt a lion in an open field is what you need. It’s important to look ahead, not to feel afraid, and to relax.

Being a licensed clinical psychologist means having the right mindset, in the opinion of Smerud.

He describes himself as a “team guy,” a builder, and very open-minded with his players.

In the end, his goal is to bring the entire team together to understand how best to attack the opposition to succeed.

He said, “If you want to build, you have to challenge yourself and make a game where you try to hunt while being very brave.”

You must be pushing and developing, not being naive. I want to unite us to hunt development, the ball, and the goal.

We will continue working and be flexible as a hunting unit that doesn’t quit, as stated by the president.

Smerud describes what he calls a “rough season” as a “rough season” from the outside.

Palace were always expected to be at the bottom of the table after being promoted to the Women’s Championship in 2024, but Smerud wants to change that perception.

In a number of games, it has been close. They could have won them, but they didn’t, which is very hard on the brain when you frequently find yourself on the losing side, Smerud said.

“I think to come in, change some perspective, and provide a clear way of doing things can hopefully bring some direction,” he said. “It adds a kind of pressure.”