KATHRYN BATTE: It’s Hannah Hampton’s time to shine as the Chelsea and Lionesses goalkeeper shakes off ‘attitude problem’ talk

After years of working with some of the best players in the world, it’s safe to say that Emma Hayes is a good judge of character.

So when asked about Hannah Hampton’s performance in Chelsea’s win over Arsenal, her response was telling.

“I say this as the future coach of the United States: England are so lucky. They could have had many clubs to choose from but they trusted me with the vision I had for them.

“I remember watching her play maybe four years ago when she was at Birmingham and I said ‘she’s going to be one of the best goalkeepers’ and I honestly believe Hannah has all the ability to become the best in the world.”

Hampton signed for Chelsea on a free transfer last summer, but only made her Women’s Super League debut in November. The competition is strong. Hampton is one of three quality guards. Ann-Katrin Berger has been Chelsea’s number 1 for four years while Zecira Musovic had a fantastic World Cup with Sweden.

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Hampton is considered Mary Earps’ number 2 for England, but has only three caps. This is partly because Earps and Ellie Roebuck were the first two choices since Sarina Wiegman’s arrival – Roebuck has now fallen down the pecking order after falling out of favor at Manchester City – but this is also partly explained by the fact that Hampton spent more than six months out of the English system following allegations of a bad attitude.

Wiegman has not spoken publicly about it, saying only that Hampton had “personal matters” to resolve. Hampton was playing for Aston Villa at the time and attitude problems emerged after her manager Carla Ward said she had been left out of the squad to face Chelsea in “the best interests of the team”.

It’s easy for a single story to define a player’s career. Once accusations of a negative attitude arise, it is difficult to get rid of them.

But there’s more to Hampton and his journey. She was born with strabismus, a condition in which the eyes point in different directions. She needed three operations when she was little, but none completely resolved her problems.

At the age of 12, she was also diagnosed with depth perception problems, meaning she has difficulty judging how far away an object is and has trouble pouring a drink in a glass.

When asked to give up her dream of playing professional football, Hampton’s journey to becoming an international goalkeeper is quite remarkable.

Off the field, she is clearly intelligent. Hampton is fluent in Spanish, where she moved with her parents at the age of five before returning to England at the age of 10, and she is clearly a player who thinks deeply.

Players who were part of the Euro 2022 squad were given a copy of The Story of Women’s Football by Jean Williams during the camp and Hampton spoke passionately about how the book had inspired her.

“The first night I read about 50 pages and kept going, it was great,” Hampton said at the time. “Many former England players came to a few camps a few days ago.

“They told us their story and how they were involved in England… it really revealed to us what they have achieved in their careers.”

A bubbly and energetic character in the English camps, Hampton is generous with her time.

When 100-year-old fan Lyn was a special guest at a Lionesses training session at St George’s Park in November, Hampton seemed genuinely happy to talk to her for several minutes before gifting her a training outfit.

Those who work closely with Hampton will tell you that she has matured tremendously over the past year.

“I absolutely loved my time with Hannah,” Hayes said. “I told him yesterday that I wish we had more time. I really enjoy his company, I really enjoy his journey and his story.

“I like her spirit, I like her mentality, I think she went through a tough time and she came to Chelsea and she fought really hard but she settled in really well.”

When Hayes recruits players, she prioritizes character as much as talent. Hampton clearly checked both boxes.

ARSENAL APPEARS TO BE OUT OF THE TITLE RACE

Arsenal signed Jonas Eidevall on a new three-year contract in October. With six games remaining in the WSL season, the Gunners appear out of the title race following their defeat at Chelsea last week.

The Continental League Cup is now their best chance of winning the title, but would winning and finishing third – matching their achievements from last season – be considered enough? Would losing this final and finishing third be considered unacceptable? They did not have to face European football due to their elimination from the Champions League in the qualifying stages, which should have improved their domestic form.

Vivianne Miedema is out of contract at the end of the season and has not seemed particularly impressed by what she has seen from the stands at Stamford Bridge as she continues to recover from injury. Eidevall may feel under pressure but, as Chelsea are finding, the pool of world-class managers is small and looking for an alternative is easier said than done.

YEOVIL TOWN STEAMROLL SIDE OF THE EIGHTH LEVEL

Yeovil Town announced the reinvigoration of its women’s football team last year. The club were in talks to enter tiers five and six, but were ultimately placed at tier seven. On Sunday they beat eighth division side Porlock FC 29–0 in the League Cup.

A quick look at the Somerset County League Division 1 shows you that Yeovil have won all 14 of their matches and have a goal difference of 69. Their Cup victory is 28 goals short of the world record – held by Willenhall Town Ladies who beat Burton Brewers Ladies 57-0 in 2001.