Shannon Cooke became West Ham United Women’s fourth and final signing of the transfer window on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old centre-back joined the Club after four-and-a-half-years out in the United States of America, where she played for the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers.
Her career began in England with Arsenal, where she made her debut in the Barclays Women’s Super League at just 18. Now, she is back and is excited about playing in the Claret & Blue of West Ham United.
In our extended interview with Cooke, the Hertfordshire native talks through how the move to east London came about, her experience in the USA and how much she is looking forward to getting down to business in her new colours.
Shannon, how does it feel to join West Ham United?
I’m thrilled to be joining West Ham. To go professional has been a dream of mine for a long time. I’m truly honoured to be signing my first professional contract at such a great club.
How did the move come about?
I’ve been playing out in America for the last four-and-a-half-years. I returned home to the UK, looking for a professional contract and West Ham arose as an opportunity. I definitely wanted to take a look and see if this was a club that would suit me and fit what I was looking for.
After coming to training here, I realised that this environment was definitely what I was looking for, and that it would be a great move for me.
Before playing out in America, you were at Arsenal – why was coming back to play in England the right thing for you at this stage in your career?
The WSL is one of the best leagues in the world and so I knew that by returning to play in the UK, I would be somewhere in which I would be pushed to progress every day. That was a major factor when making my decision. I think that being in such an elite environment, I’ve got a great opportunity to do that now.
What was the experience like for you over in America?
Honestly, America was absolutely amazing. It was probably the best four-and-a-half-years of my life and one of the best decisions I ever made was moving out there. The friendships that I made, the experiences I had, the coaches and the staff that I worked with were just the best and beyond anything I had expected. I’m so grateful for the opportunities that I had out there.
Do you think you will be able to transfer those experiences over into the WSL?
Yeah, I think that the game is very different in America compared to here in England. In America they focus a lot on athleticism, whereas in England the game is a lot more technical and tactical. So, I think that now I have had the chance to develop the athleticism side of my game I can revisit those technical and tactical aspects that I learnt as I was growing up and become a well-rounded player.
Are you amazed at how much the WSL has grown since you were at Arsenal?
Absolutely! I think that women’s football is definitely on the rise. The success of the Lionesses at the last Euros was just phenomenal and has done nothing but good for the women’s game. I’m excited to see where it will be in the next few years, and I think that the men have got some competition. I’m very excited to see where it goes.
How has it been training with and getting to know the team?
It’s been a good experience being at the training facility. It’s obviously very different to what I have been used to out in America and what I had been exposed to at Arsenal. When you take the step into a new environment, everything feels different and so it takes a little time to adjust. Having said that, I’ve been training with the girls for a couple of weeks and now I have signed officially, so I’m very excited to get started properly.
How would you describe yourself as a player?
I play centre-back. I like to pride myself on being a kind of ‘modern day’ centre-back. I love to have the ball at my feet; I love to break lines and start the attack. Out of possession, I love to manipulate and dictate what the forward can do. I like to be a smart player, have the ball at my feet, and try as much as I can to dictate what happens when we go forward with the ball.
How much are you looking forward to the game against Arsenal on Sunday, and meeting the fans too?
I’m definitely looking forward to it. It will be a great experience as Arsenal are doing well in the league right now. Not only are they my former club but they will also provide a good level of competition, so I’m looking forward to it in that respect. I’m very excited to meet the fans as I’m a player who loves to interact with fans – it’s a big part of who I am. I’m definitely looking forward to finally meeting them!
You must be excited to join the team on their journey up the league table?
Yes, absolutely. I think that, as a team, we’ve got a lot of ambition and that was something that really appealed to me when signing for West Ham.
I’m a very ambitious person, and this is a very ambitious club, so I think that our values definitely correspond and I’ll fit in well. I know that we can finish high up in the table, and I’m excited to see how we progress from now until the end of the season.
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