Crystal Palace: Leif Smerud about the survival of WSL

For Smerud, a licensed clinical psychologist, the right attitude is everything.

He describes himself as a “team type”, “as a builder” and someone who is “very open” with his players.

Ultimately, his goal is to bring the team together to understand how you can attack the best ways to achieve results.

“If you want to build, you have to challenge yourself and create a game in which you try to hunt and be quite brave,” he said.

“You can't be naive, you have to push and develop. I want us to chase the ball, chase the goal and to chase development as a unit.

“I don't like it when my teams stop so that we will continue to work and be flexible – a hunting unit that doesn't stop.”

From the outside, Smerud saw how the team fought during a “rough season”.

After Palace won a promotion from the women's championship in 2024, it was always expected to be at the end of the table, but Smerud hopes to change the perception.

“It was tight in some games. They could have won them, but they didn't and it was really difficult if you often end up on the losing side,” said Smerud.

“It adds a kind of pressure, so I think I am changing a perspective and offers a clear way to do things that hopefully can bring a direction.

“I want to take away the fear that will sneak in. People think about survival, but instead let us think about the fight.”