Erin Cuthbert: Chelsea midfielder talks ‘tough love’ and title races

Chasing trophies has become second nature for 27-year-old Cuthbert, who spent almost a decade at Chelsea, winning 16 major trophies in the process.

She has made over 150 appearances but is enjoying increasing competition for her place in the team.

“You can’t sit still because all the other teams are coming in. There are other players coming in for your position,” Cuthbert said.

“It’s important every day in training sessions and how you apply yourself. There’s competition in every team.

“We have a big squad but as long as there is healthy competition for places, you will get places.”

Cuthbert has developed as a player during her nine-and-a-half-year spell at Chelsea, but says the thing she learned most was to be “more direct” when communicating with staff and teammates.

“Maybe I learned that under [former manager] “Emma Hayes because of her brutality, but she’s also caring at the same time,” she added.

“It was really some tough love and I think you can still care about someone and want the best for all your teammates and be direct in your communications.

“Even with Sonia Bombastor, if you’re not playing a game, you have to go and have that difficult conversation because it makes you feel so much better afterward.

“The first few years under Emma, ​​I was probably afraid to go into the manager’s office, but I wanted to know what I could do to play more.”