Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor praised Katie McCabe for her composure after facing ire from fans of her former side during Arsenal‘s visit to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
McCabe moved from Arsenal to Chelsea over the summer after 10 years of service, facing a plethora of backlash from fans of her former club.
The defender was booed every time she touched the ball and faced their wrath as the Blues beat the Gunners 1-0.
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At the final whistle, she walked towards her former fans with smugness knowing she and Chelsea had the final laugh with a 1-0 win.
“I think it’s probably something we need to mention because that’s never easy for a player who played so many years in a former club to face a former club and be able to put that strong performance,” Bompastor said of her defender.
“I think Katie is probably one of those characters where people start to boo her, it gives her an extra boost and motivation, so probably they should have kept quiet, not to motivate her more than what she was already.
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“I’ve never seen a lot of players who are able to be to come into this game with being calm, composed and being able to deal with a lot of emotions. So well done to her, a lot of credit to her, and again, I think the way she performed probably helped the team for sure to keep the clean sheet, but also to get to good result.”
Stamford Bridge erupted at several points during the tense afternoon and each time was in response to McCabe, getting boos from the away supporters and matched with adulation from her new fan base.
McCabe handled the reception with composure and was able to weather the storm of the first meeting with her former side.
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The Ireland captain said she expected the backlash but was “really happy” about her move to Chelsea.
“When you have been at a club for so long, it’s expected, especially when you move to a London rival,” McCabe said. “I have a lot of respect for the Arsenal fans, we have been through a lot together but, for me, it was time for a new chapter in my career and coming to Chelsea and the way Sonia wants to play, with the quality we have in have in the team, I was really excited about it. I’m really happy about it.”
