Everton boss wants to back ambition with trophies.
Everton v Barnet
The FA Women's Cup sponsored by E.ON
Semi-Final
2pm, Sunday 14 March
Haig Avenue, Southport FC
Winning clubs receive £2500 from The FA's prize fund
Click here for fixtures
Mo Marley, the manager of Everton Ladies, has declared winning The FA Women's Cup as paramount if her side want to finally match the respect commanded by Arsenal.
The former defender and club captain will line her team up against surprise package Barnet Ladies in the first of this season's Semi-Finals this Sunday, and says her side must win trophies to finally realise parity with the Gunners.
"If we don't give them at least healthy competition this year, then we'll have stagnated," she said.
"I'd like to think we're up there with Arsenal and that we deserve the same respect. We've improved year after year, but if we want that from everyone then we have to win trophies."
Everton can definitely back those bold claims. The ladies from Merseyside were pipped to the title only on goal difference by Arsenal last season.
But the Toffees knocked their closest rivals out of The Women's Premier League Cup with a 2-1 Semi-Final win in December, and Marley has identified The FA Cup as the opportunity to land another psychological blow.
"We've come-up short in Cup competitions in recent years," Marley added. "We have to be consistently at our best over the five Cup games if we want to win this year."
On paper, Premier League Everton should not be too troubled by a Barnet side competing a division below them, but the Bees sit top of their league and are pushing hard for promotion. Marley believes The Women's FA Cup shares the same magic and unpredictability as the men's version - so anything can happen.
"Personally, I don't think anything else in women's football matches up to the excitement of The FA Cup and I try to spread that infectiousness across the players," she continued.
"I won both the League and the The FA Cup with Everton as a player and, for me, The Cup was more special. There is so much razzmatazz. It's all about what happens on the day, and that could be anything.
"We don't fear anybody anymore and the mentality is something we haven't had.
"We have to make sure that when sides come to our place, they leave thinking we're a top quality team."
