Stanway: I Plateaued At City

Former Manchester City Women Star Georgia Stanway has explained her reasons for leaving the club in the summer, stating that she had plateaued at the club, was played out of position and offered a contract too late.

The blues all-time leading goalscorer left to join Bayern Munich in the summer and featured in the Lionesses incredible Euro victory. Stanway scored an extra-time winner against Spain to send England into the semi-final, but has revealed that manager Sarina Weigman was unsure where to play her.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Stanway explained that the England boss had concerns about Stanway’s place in the side because the City star hadn’t been playing regularly in the blues central midfield. “We played a Euros warm-up game against the Netherlands and Sarina came up to me the day before and said she wasn’t too sure where I would fit in.”

[At City] “I was being asked to fill in different positions, like at left-back. And while I’m happy to do a job, I didn’t feel like I was getting any better or going anywhere. I’d played nearly 200 games, won seven trophies and left as the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. But I felt like for the last 18 months I had plateaued.”

Stanway signed for Bayern and was one of several high-profile stars that left the club over the summer, and explained that the blues had offered her a new contract prior to leaving.

“They offered me a contract very, very late and it wasn’t the way I wanted it to end. So I just questioned myself and thought: ‘Well, if not now then when? When is the right time to go abroad? When is the right time to take the next step?’”

Thankfully for the Lionesses, Stanway was able to replicate the form that had forced her way into the England set-up, and was able to have the courage to take the shot against Spain to send the girls through.

But it was a disappointing end to her career at the Academy Stadium, both for Stanway and the fans who idolised her. For many, she was the person City could depend upon and which Bayern are now benefitting from.