Jessie Miller

THIRTY SEVEN

Today we have a full day of training and I'm so ready for this. Don't get me wrong, I love days off, but I just want to become the best I can be. I want to train as hard as I can, and I guess today gives me the opportunity. The other days have been kind of soft, but the coaches warned us that today was going to be difficult.

I've just got down to the training pitch that we are on today and it's freezing. I remembered to bring my snood today so I pull that right up to my eyes and pull my hat down as far as I can. my gloves are on and my jacket is zipped up right to the top. I can't believe how cold it is. Georgia and Ellie are laughing at me and have taken a couple of photos of me. So have the photographers... I'm not happy. I was so ready for today.

We are all called in and told what the plan is for today. A few drills are for this morning and then we have some more intense things later. But for right now, warmups. We all do a lap around the pitch and then do some stretches. Once everyone is ready, a shooting drill is set up. The coaches put in some crossing drills as well. As a winger, I have to run down the right wing, get passed a defender (which is currently Demi) When I eventually do this, I cross a ball into the box and then the striker/ person shooting at the time, will take on the keepers and another defender who will put pressure on them.

It comes around to be my turn to be the striker. When I was a part of the City academy, I played up front for a while. I faced a few difficult defenders and not just ones that were good footballers. Some of them would talk throughout the game to get in your head. On some occasions, it worked, and I was put off and some players were good enough to stop me. The person that is defending me right now is Kiera. I wait for Chloe Kelly to beat Steph so she can cross the ball and Kiera is watching my every move. Finally, I make a run into the box and I'm about to jump but I'm knocked to the ground. My ankle is killing me, probably from landing on it weirdly. I lift myself up and look at Kiera to see if she had anything to do with the fall. By the look on her face, I could tell that she purposely made me fall. She might not want me to hurt myself, but she wanted me to fall. I shake off the pain in my ankle and try to act as if nothing happened. I change into my new position as defending Chloe. She asks if I'm okay and if I need a minute. I assure her that I'm okay, but she takes it easy on me anyways. I get the ball off her and take the shot. I put everything into the shot. I'm walking over to my new position and I lock eyes with Lucy. She gives me a look as if to ask if I'm okay and I just look away. Is this all over Lucy? Is Kiera mad about me and Lucy? Surely not...

We take a break away from the drills after shooting and I sit by myself. I take a drink of water and check my ankle. It hurts to pull off my boot, but I do it anyway with a brave face just in case anyone is watching. It's a little red but it definitely hurts like a bitch. I think it's the same ankle I hurt in the Arsenal game which is fun of course... Not. I manage to get my boot back on lace them up. I try not to pull it too tight, but I also need it tight enough to keep training.

We are called up again to go back to training. We are sent off by the coaches to do a passing drill. I'm paired with Charles and we talk whilst doing the drill. My ankle feels fine, my passes are like they usually are. I'm just trying to use my other foot to be honest. After this drill, we are demonstrated an agility drill. We have to run to a cone and then back, run up to and through the ladder and then around a post and sprint back to the start. The coaches make it into a race. There're 3 set ups and obviously 3 teams. I wait for my turn. I look to my side and see that I'm against Lucy. She looks at me at the same time and it's go time. Her cheeky smile almost distracts me, but I see Lauren sprinting back from the post and Chloe on the side that Lucy is on. I ready myself and hold my hand out for Lauren to touch my hand. I'm very competitive but so is Lucy... At last, my hand is met by Lauren's and I'm on my way. I don't focus on anything else other than what I have to do. I run to the cone and back, touching the line and then sprint up to the ladder. Quickly passing through this part, I go as fast as I can up to the post, around it and then back down to my team. I know that Lucy is close because I can hear my team yelling for me to go faster. and the other two teams getting louder and louder to support each other. Lucy and I are the last people on our teams as is Jill. Jill is fast but I know that I'm faster than her. I know I'm faster than Lucy to be honest, but I just can't reach my usual speed today due to my ankle. Anyway, it's a close call! Lucy and I get back to the line at pretty much the same time, but my team members remembered to put our hands up in the air when we were done so we are classed as the winners. Lucy comes over to me and I tease her about winning. We all get a drink of water but then the coaches tell us that we are free to have a few hours off for Lunch and to rest before training later.

I walk to the cafeteria with Lucy and Jordan to get food whilst we are still in conversation about the upcoming match against Northern Ireland. We eat with a few more people around us all in conversation with different people though. Right now, I'm talking to Ellie. Well trying anyway... She's being kind of strange. She seems as though she doesn't want to talk to me therefore, I let the conversation die and I focus on eating my food and not talking to anyone else.

After lunch, I go back up to the room and check my ankle again. I pull my joggers off as well as my sock. I took my shoes off a while ago. Back to the foot, it's starting to bruise real bad. I know it's not broken or anything too bad but, I'll have to take it easy and tell a member of staff. I make my way back down to the pitch and warm myself up again. The coaches explain that we are doing positioning this afternoon. The time flies by and the rest of the girls play a game for a bit of fun. We are all under the flood lights and I'm sat by the side getting a drink. I go over to one of the medics and ask if she can take a look at my ankle. She puts some ice on it and then tells me to stay off of it for a day or two. She will inform Riise that I'll be out for a day couple days but I'll be fine for the game. I head up to the room and scrap my idea of going to the pool for cardio. Instead, I sit on my bed for about half an hour, scrolling through my social media. This is before I get a text from Beth Mead, asking if I'm up for an ice bath. I can't see why not so I skip on down to the room where they're set up. Beth is there and we jump in two baths next to each other. We spend 15 minutes in the bath and talking. We agree to come to my room after she's got changed and everything. Jordan is also going to come over as well so it should be a fun night. I've texted Lucy to see if she wants to come over, but she hasn't answered me yet. She's seen the message - just not answered.

I've just got back to the room and Leah is laid on the bed. I let her know that I'm just going to take a quick shower to warm myself up a little. I come back out and the other two are here already. I grab some clothes and get changed in the bathroom. Jordan and Beth have made themselves comfortable in my bed, so I hop in Leah's. We all decide to watch a movie and have some down time after the hard day of training. I keep checking my phone throughout the movie until Leah literally takes my phone off me. She puts it in her drawer, and I don't even protest. All four of us end up falling asleep in the beds we got in when we entered. Makes a change for me to be in Leah's bed doesn't it?