Iconic women’s footballer Steph Houghton has not yet announced what will happen after his retirement, but coaching seems more likely than following former Manchester City and England teammate Jill Scott on reality television.
“I can’t sing or dance,” admits the 36-year-old, who also contorts her face at the thought of heading into the jungle on I’m A Celebrity…
Helping the next generation is another matter. Houghton, a 121-time national accolade and responsible for helping spark a boom in her sport, is not short of options, although the top priority will be her husband, ex-Liverpool player Stephen Darby, who is battling motor neurone disease.
Since her last match on May 18, Houghton has been studying for her coaching badges at St George’s Park.
As the first female player to appear on the cover of Shoot magazine, she knows how to break new ground and doesn’t understand why female coaches and managers can’t aspire to be Pep Guardiola in the men’s game, just like Emma Hayes.
Steph Houghton has not yet announced what’s next following her retirement earlier this month
The former England captain ended her playing career but will have no shortage of options
Her main priority is husband, ex-Liverpool player Stephen Darby, who is battling motor neurone disease
‘I’ve just spent two days starting my A license and we were outnumbered by the boys. It shows that a lot of women want to stay in the game,” she reveals.
‘We all learned the same thing during the course. We all know the game. To achieve this qualification means you are at the level of coaches across the country.
‘I have been lucky enough to coach the under-13s and under-14s at City this past year. The under 18s coach really helped me get involved.
“I coached a boys team on Tuesday and the reaction and respect they gave us was the same as any men’s coach because you tell them the same information.
“Maybe I should put it in a different way because we are all different, but I don’t understand why we can’t have women in the men’s game at the same time as men are in our game.
‘I got my B license at Christmas and I think that was probably part of my decision to retire. I loved being on the grass.
‘I’m not saying I absolutely want to coach or manage, but I think this time can be used to gain qualifications. I want options.
“I expected Jill to go down that path because she openly said she was interested in coaching, but her life has changed dramatically. You probably can’t get her off the TV!
Houghton is responsible for playing a role in the blossoming of the women’s game and is keen to see more female coaches in the men’s game
She’s not interested in following friend and former teammate Jill Scott (left), who she says you probably can’t get off television, into reality TV
‘I’ve worked with so many great people, it would be a shame if I didn’t take advantage of them. We will see.
‘If I could play until I was 45, I would. But as you get older, you gain more perspective. The next chapter is a little scary, but at the same time I’m excited.
‘The idea is to go on holiday and switch off for a while because it’s been intense and then we’ll see where we are in July.
‘I’m lucky to have options, but I know exactly who I am. I’ll want to drive and aim for something.’
Houghton’s achievements as a pioneer are unparalleled. Her performances for Team GB at the London 2012 Olympic Games took women’s football into a new atmosphere. As England captain for eight years, she was the face of her burgeoning sport and won eight major trophies for City after signing for them in 2014.
Her only disappointment came towards the end when her recovery from a long-term injury was not enough to be selected for Sarina Wiegman’s England squad that won the 2022 European Championship.
By then, however, her husband had been diagnosed with ALS, which obviously gave her a different perspective on life.
When Darby was diagnosed with MND, Houghton had a different outlook on life and is eager to spend more time with her family
She recently described Darby as ‘mentally strong and positive’, with the pair raising money for the Darby Rimmer Foundation
‘What I’m most looking forward to is being able to have dinner on Sundays, see my family more often and of course spend more time with Stephen. That’s the most important thing,” she says. ‘In football you make so many sacrifices.’
She also recently told the BBC: ‘Stephen is amazing. What we’ve done to raise money for the Darby Rimmer Foundation is amazing.
‘Mentally he is very strong and positive, but physically things are very different for us now.
‘We never really complain and I think the most important thing about us is that we are strong together.’
It seems certain that City will continue to play a role in Houghton’s life. In the northeastern accent that has never disappeared, she still calls the club “us.”
She helped notice Lauren Hemp and Jesse Park, who are part of the club’s present and future.
Houghton also takes her role as custodian of the sport seriously. Without being heavy-handed, she wants to inform the current generation about the changes she has seen.
“My dad paid £250 in subs for me to play for Sunderland. We were in minibuses at five in the morning for matches in London,” she recalls.
She would like to inform the current generation about the changes she has seen in the game in recent years
Since her last competition last week she has been studying for her coaching badges and revealed there were more men than women on her A license course
There are so many barriers for women to participate in sports. It took a lot of stubbornness to prove people wrong.
‘Before I moved to Arsenal it was worth playing, hand-me-down kits. We didn’t have any boat deals.
‘I tell the City players all the time when they think the food is rubbish or their boots haven’t been delivered. I’m like, ‘I used to have to get my mom and dad’s money and go to the store.’
“It’s not like ‘we used to do this’, but it’s important to keep them grounded and know that the sport has gone on a bigger journey and we’re fortunate to be where we are today .’
Houghton, recently inducted into the National Museum Hall of Fame, responded to every text following the latest news of her announcement.
‘I don’t think I’ve spoken to Stephen in two hours. It was like, ‘Oh my God, I have to stop crying,'” she explains.
The outpouring of affection for Houghton underscored the impact she had. One agent, not hers!, described her as the David Beckham of the women’s game.
Houghton described the 2012 Olympics as ‘a game-changer’ for women’s football and talks about her role in driving the game forward
“The Olympic Games were a game changer,” she reflects. ‘You were asked to be in front of the cameras for interviews, you had a little more pressure to be the voice of women’s football. You realized you had to give a clear message.
‘The dream would probably have been to leave by winning a trophy with England and doing a mic drop, but at the end of the day there are more important things in life than being part of that squad in 2022.
‘It was huge to be able to lead the country at two World Cups and a European Championship. People wonder if the 2012 Olympics was a defining moment for women’s football in this country, and I think it was.”
A defining moment that could one day see Steph Houghton MBE or another female manager perform in a Premier League technical area near you.