Goalkeeper union, season review and growth of the women’s game | Every word of Kop’s interview

Joining us in January, 2025, from Leicester City, the Netherlands international has been an ever-present in Martin Ho’s side this term, starting and playing every minute in Lilywhite in all competitions to this point – the only player in the squad to have achieved this.

Influential in between the posts this season, Lize has registered 10 clean sheets across league and cup competitions, six of those coming in the WSL, and has produced some penalty heroics in the Women’s FA Cup as we reached the quarter-final stage.

Lize sat down with presenters and former players Rosie Kmita and Mollie Kmita to reflect on the season, the importance of the goalkeeper union and the growth of the women’s game…

How important is that goalkeeper union to your performance, confidence, and ultimately your experience at the club?

Lize: “It’s really important. When you’ve got goalkeepers behind you who want to improve and want to start playing. They naturally push each other to be better because they’re pushing and that made me push myself every day too.

“But it’s also about positivity and I’m really thankful for the goalkeeping group I’ve got now. We all know what we need to do and we’re all having fun. We joke around, but we also work really hard. We can talk about personal things, things we want to improve and things we struggle with.

“That openness is so important. I’ve said it a few times this season already - even in an Instagram post - but I genuinely feel that support from them. I’m the one out on the pitch every week, but the positive environment we create together and the quality of the training sessions help me perform better in games. You don’t have to worry about negativity or unnecessary drama around you. That kind of stuff can be draining. Of course, there are always days where someone is frustrated or unhappy - that’s normal. But as long as you can talk about it, it helps.”

We’re sitting in fifth position and have had an unbelievable season. What do you put that down to?

Lize: “I think it comes down to standards. The standards set by the staff and the standards we set for ourselves push us to improve every day. We’re also honest and critical with each other in a positive way, and I think that helps everyone get the best out of one another. That’s been a huge part of our season.”

How has that transition been under Martin’s leadership?

Lize: “The staff are incredibly dedicated. They work hard to create the best possible game plan and they truly believe in our playing style. That’s been huge for us because we know exactly what we need to do when we step onto the pitch and that clarity removes a lot of stress as a player. It allows you to be yourself and focus on your role and the game plans are really strong, and that helps us as a team.”

As fans watching, it makes us want to put our boots back on and run through a brick wall for him. Does that passion have the same impact on the players? And how important is the relationship between player and coach?

Lize: “As a player, you always want to get the best out of yourself. It can be frustrating when people around you don’t seem fully committed, but when your manager is the first one there every morning, constantly working hard to improve the team and make you a better player, it motivates you. Their effort pushes us to work even harder and everyone lifts each other up because everyone is fully invested.”

You’ve experienced the evolution of women’s football firsthand - from Ajax to Leicester and now Spurs. What’s it been like watching the game develop?

Lize: “It’s been amazing to watch. When I first started, women’s football already felt significant, but over time you realise how important the environment around you is. I used to get frustrated training on artificial pitches or playing important games, where the support from clubs wasn’t always there. Sometimes it felt like we had to fight for the standards and environments we deserved - you had to stand up for yourself, your team and the sport. When I first reached the Ajax first team, I thought, ‘I’ve made it. Everything is great now’ but then you realise, ‘no - this still isn’t good enough.’ I expect a lot from myself, but I also expect a lot from the environment around me. That’s sometimes been frustrating because while the sport was growing, clubs and teams still needed to grow too. Now, though, I feel like I’m at a club where everyone wants to develop - the club, the team and me personally. There’s still a long way to go, but if everyone shares the same goals and genuinely supports the growth of the game, it will work. You can’t just say you want progress without putting in the effort every day.”

And when the club takes care of the things it needs to, it gives players the headspace to focus purely on performance and development?

Lize: “Exactly. There’s a responsibility on me to make sure I have the best support and environment possible so I can perform and develop. But it’s always a balance between what the club wants, what the team wants, and what I want. There are so many moving parts. But, here in the UK, women’s football has grown massively and that’s really positive. Women’s sport still has a lot more room to grow, but we’ve definitely come a long way. I think we’re on the right road.”

Watch the full interview with Lize here