Katie McCabe has just signed a new contract, pledging her support for Jonas Eidevall’s project. If she sees out to the end of her new deal (which could be later than 2025), she will have been a Gunner for a decade, which will be remarkable. She gives every ounce of herself on the pitch for Arsenal and I’ve rarely seen her give anything less than 110% o0n and off the pitch.
The captain of Ireland’s women’s national team will undoubtedly go down in history as one of our most consistent utility players. Jonas Eidevall on her new deal calls her “one of the top performers in world football in recent times.”
McCabe didn’t have the best start to her career with the club after joining in 2015. She was 20 years old at the time and joined as part of a mass recruitment campaign during a moment when our Arsenal women were attempting to rebrand themselves. Notably, she joined as one of Ireland’s most promising young players.
She struggled for game time at first, and in 2017, she was permitted to depart on a loan exit to go to a place where she could grow. She joined Glasgow City, regained her confidence, and returned to Arsenal, where her contract was about to expire and she might have been easily dismissed.
However, Joe Montemurro (the Arsenal boss when she returned from loan) advised her to keep pushing in training, which she did, and her contract was extended as a result. Since Montemurro recognised her talent, she has been steadily growing in strength, game by game.
One case of her brilliance on display was last April, when she staggered off the pitch and had to walk with cratches and a protective boot in a 2-0 win over Bayern Munich at the Emirates. Many expected her to be sidelined due to injuries, but after scans revealed that her foot was fine, she started in a 2-1 WSL win over Manchester City four days later, scoring Arsenal’s winner.
After the game, she admitted, “My foot has been in ice for the last four days, trying to get the swelling down. It’s well padded up, but it still works!”
Tellingly, McCabe chose to celebrate that goal by running to the bench. “I wanted to celebrate with the girls on the bench because it’s been a real squad effort this whole season.
“I wanted to celebrate with everyone because it’s all about the team and the squad. We’ve stayed together.”
Anyway, it’s good that McCabe, who Chelsea reportedly bid for in January, is staying with us. She can now continue establishing herself as a legend at the club, as Katie once said: “I wanted to be one of those Irish Arsenal legends.”
There’s no doubt that when her time in North London comes to an end, she will leave the club as a true Arsenal legend who just happens to be Irish!
I absolutely love her passion for the team, but I sincerely hope she can reduce her collection of yellow cards and can be available fror the whole season!
Michelle Maxwell
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