Derby County Women forward Kira Rai believes the team have had a positive season to date, but it would be better if they could pick up a win over Nottingham Forest Women this weekend.
The Ewe Rams take on Forest Women in the East Midlands Derby on Sunday afternoon (2pm kick off) and Rai feels the Rams can enter the competition without any pressure on their shoulders.
speaking to ramstv Before the clash, Rai discussed the women’s season so far, derby day and the recent integration of the Ewe Rams into the club.
About the 2022/23 season so far…
I think it took us a while to get going. We didn’t have the best pre-season so I think we knew it would take a while to fit in as we’d had a great team rebuild.
Since we came back after Christmas we’ve had a really good run and we’ve won six in a row. Last Sunday was our first loss of the new year (4-1 at Burnley). Since Christmas we’ve really come together as a team and we’ve all been on the same page, so it’s been a pretty good season to be fair.
In the East Midlands derby…
It’s going to be a new experience for a lot of the team, but for the few of us who have been there and done it before, I think it’s up to us to control our emotions and not let it get the better of those who have already done it. t played on it before. We have to play the game and not the occasion.
In recent years…
I’m a Derby County fan myself, I go to every game, so it’s different to watch the men’s team and then play at Pride Park Stadium on Sunday. Enter the locker room, play on that court; it’s a nice experience for me and it’s one I look forward to every season.
On whether the rivalry transfers to women’s football…
No matter the age group or gender, Derby vs. Forest is always a massive game. It’s no different for us, it’s always our biggest game of the season.
About the women of Nottingham Forest…
To be fair to them, they are on a pretty good run. They are top of the table, they are in a good position but they cannot afford to lose any points. In a way, we’re in a pretty unique position where we’re going to do it with no pressure and all the pressure falls on them, so I guess they have to bring it to us and we have to do what we want. can do.
On whether they expected to be competing so high on the table this year…
I think we know our quality as a team and as individuals. We are not surprised that we are fourth in the table, but perhaps we are also overtaking ourselves in terms of where we thought we would be. We probably bonded much faster than we thought and finishing fourth would be a great achievement for us.
On the integration of the women’s team in the club this summer…
I think it’s nice to walk into the changing rooms and Hub at Moor Farm and see our own place that says ‘Derby County Women’.
Before training, we have our own room where the girls can catch up and that gives us a sense of belonging. The men’s team also want us here, so it has a really strong club feel.