Melanie Reay

Coaching Sessions

Creativity in the final third

Attacking

This session has been designed to make players think about making better decisions and it encourages them to be more ruthless in the final third of the pitch.

This session is all about getting the ball back as quickly as we can. We start with an activity focused on pressing in small groups to set the tone and then we move into pressing as a team, showing players when, where and how to do it.

Biography

Melanie Reay is currently the manager of Sunderland Women in the FA Women’s Championship.

Playing under her maiden name, Melanie Copeland, she turned out for Cowgate Kestrels, which later went on to become Sunderland Ladies. During the 2002-03 season, she was joint winner of the FA Women’s Premier League Northern Division Golden Boot. She went on to win it again the following season and subsequently won it for a third time when playing for Newcastle United in 2008.

She began coaching at Gateshead College early in her playing career and later she coached at the Newcastle United centre of excellence.

In January 2008, while still a player for Newcastle, she stepped up to take on the role of assistant manager.

Sunderland appointed her as assistant head coach ahead of the 2015 season, and in March 2017 she became the club’s head coach.

She also took charge of the England Women’s U23 national team for the 2018 Nordic Tournament in Sarpsborg.

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Melanie Reay

Coaching Sessions

Creativity in the final third

Effective pressing

Biography

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