Emily Orman is a goalkeeper for the London City Lionsesses, and she doesn’t take her role for granted. Learn more about her journey to the pitch, how she stays calm and collected in the goal, and what it’s like to play for the WSL’s first independently-owned club.

TOGETHXR: When did you start playing soccer? Were you always interested in being a goalkeeper?
Emily Orman: I actually played tennis until about the age of eight. That was my introduction to sport and competition. Then, on the playground in the summer, we got to get on the field and play football. I was like, ‘Oh, this is so fun. You can play with your friends.’ One of the boys’ dads was a coach, and he told my dad, ‘Emily's actually quite good by the way.’ The team element of it was what I thrived in. I just loved that camaraderie. Tennis was a lot more high-pressure. At about age eight, I decided I really wanted to play for the football team all my friends at school played for, which was an all-boys team. They were super inclusive, and even when other teams would be difficult about it, they were always on my side. So, I slowly started playing more football and less tennis.

The goalie stuff was a bit gender-based. It's kind of considered a boring position. Also, I've always been much bigger than my peers, especially in primary school. So I thrived in that position, really. Physically, that was where I was best suited — I'm not a runner. I don't love running. I always joke that if I were good enough to play out in the field, I probably would, but I think I knew from an early age that goalkeeper was where most of my skill set was.

TOGETHXR: It seems like goalkeeping requires a lot on the mental side of the game — staying focused even when the ball doesn't come your way and dealing with the pressure of not letting the other team score. Are there any strategies that you've developed over the years to help you balance that mental side of the game?
E.O.: In the last few years, I started doing hypnotherapy, which sounds really ‘woo woo,’ but it's not like a ticking clock or anything. It's basically meditation, visualization — just calming your nervous system. I work on mindfulness and imagining the moments. It helped me a lot last season during the playoff games, in big moments, and in managing general life stress. I think the hardest thing about being an athlete is that you are the product. If you have a city job or work in an office and come into work really tired, your work might not be as good, but it's not as detrimental to your career as it is for a footballer or athlete who needs to be on every day.

TOGETHXR: What's your mindset before you go into a match? In the locker room, are you zoned in, focused, and quiet? Are you getting hype, listening to music? What’s the vibe?
E.O.: My mom's always told me, ‘You do this every day. You know what you're doing.’ I really try, on game day, just to treat it like another day. Even though I feel more nervous, I don't need to do anything different. I just try to stay present and stay in the moment. I personally don't like wearing headphones because I think that it takes me away from the moment. I can overthink, and sometimes it becomes overwhelming. I just try to remember that this is my job. I do this every single day. Today, I just have to do it in front of people, and it means something. I've done the prep, so there's nothing to worry about. I'm just going to make sure I eat right, sleep right, and do all those things within my control, and the rest of it is cool. I'll do a bit of journaling, just to stay present — but for me it's more about being in the moment. I think that works better for me.

Especially as a goalkeeper, you need to be more level. I've told young goalkeepers before, you're better off being consistently good than having one game where you're unreal and the next game where you're terrible, because teams want to play consistent goalkeepers. It's not like a striker that could score a hat trick in one game and then not do so well in the other. I feel like there's less space for fluctuation.

 

TOGETHXR: The 2024-25 season was huge for London City. The team secured promotion, and you won the Golden Glove. What did it feel like to be able to help the team reach that promotion stage?
E.O: I think it was particularly special because the season wasn't always pretty. There's no denying that Michelle [Kang] is a great investor for us, and she's amazing — but Rome wasn't built in a day. There was a lack of infrastructure around the club. In that season, we didn't have pitches. From the start of the season until Christmas, we didn't have a pitch on site. We'd have to travel to another [site] or train on turf because the grass wasn't suitable. So, I think that there were a lot of barriers that people didn't see that we overcame as a team. Many teams go through this in the English leagues. Maybe it's a bit different in America. When [Manchester] United or Liverpool came up, they just stormed the league. It's like they win every game. It's as if they've already won it before the season starts. We really overcame to win that league. I think that's what made it so special.

TOGETHXR: What do you like to do when you're not training or competing?
E.O.: The first thing I do when I get home from training is nap. I love napping. I've gone through phases — I went through a real Sims phase. I love playing Sims. I recently got a piano from Facebook Marketplace. I've been trying to get that going. I like reading. I've been trying to do a book per month — so far, so good. Those are the main things that I like, plus watching TV and brain-rot stuff — but I do try to balance it out with some mental stimulation.

TOGETHXR: Do you have any favorite books that you've read lately that you want to shout out?
E.O.: I just finished a book called All The Glimmering Stars. It was quite a deep book. Do you remember the KONY 2012 thing that went viral on Instagram ages ago? This book was the story of that, about a Ugandan militia that was kidnapping children. It’s a novel based on a true story. It was recommended by [my teammate] Sanni Franssi. When she handed it to me, [I noticed] it was a thick book, and I thought, ‘f***’, but it was such an amazing book. It was such an interesting topic and something I wouldn't typically explore. I was about 10 years old in 2012, when that was going on. It’s really cool to learn something new. It's quite a harrowing story, but also quite a beautiful one.

 

TOGETHXR: Is there anything you're looking forward to doing in the off-season?
E.O.: Yeah, just holidays. You try to squeeze as many as you can. I'm going to Portugal and Greece at the moment. It's going to be fun.

TOGETHXR: What do you think is the hardest part of being a goalkeeper? Alternatively, what is your favorite part?
E.O.: I think the hardest part is being a team within the team. It’s a different sport within the sport. Sometimes you can feel a little bit overlooked, which is what puts a lot of people off because you feel a little bit like a side character, especially when you're younger. I would say the best part is being able to pick up after people's mistakes. If someone messes up, you can help them out. It sounds silly, but that feeling when your teammate doesn't do what they wanted to do and then you're able to make a save, that's a great feeling. It's nice to give people reassurance that you're there.

TOGETHXR: If you could choose any brand, creator, or celebrity to collaborate with the Lionesses, who would it be?
E.O.: I think Malala would be the perfect person for our team. She empowers young women and provides them with a platform. I think women who have already done something for women are perfect for us. Malala embodies the vision of London City. She also seems fun. I read her books, and I thought, ‘Oh, I want to be your friend.’ So I think she would be perfect. I believe she loves cricket. I think she would enjoy football as well.

TOGETHXR: What do you hope that fans take away from their experience when they come and watch the Lionesses play?
E.O.: I think that we offer progress. [We have] a smaller fan base, so you actually feel closer to the team, and you can really see the growth. I think our fans that have been with us since the start of the previous season really feel part of the team. They really feel like the 12th player, and I think that's quite unique. We really value and understand how important that engagement is for us, especially without having a men's team. We try to give back as much as we can to our fans. Compared to other teams, you'd be heard more as a fan in our stands. We're really grateful for everyone who comes along. 

TOGETHXR: Have you had an experience with a fan that really stood out to you or meant a lot to you over the last two seasons?
E.O.: This season, I was injured, and I haven’t played. To be honest, this season has probably been the lowest in my career. It’s a hard reality to admit as an athlete. It's really easy to be positive when things are going well, but the fans still value the players. As the club moves forward, they're focusing on what's next. They'll still chant for me when I'm at games, even though I'm not on the pitch. I don't think fans fully realize that means a lot to players. Hearing your name and knowing that you're seen is really great.

TOGETHXR: What does it mean to you to be part of a fully independent women's club? 
E.O.: Growing up, you had a lot of women paving the way for you. I'm in a position now because of those women who sacrificed so much. I think the project we have in London City is embodying a new chapter. It's really important to me to be a part of the change. London City is really spearheading that. I want to be that for young girls.

RAPID FIRE

Your biggest pet peeve: People who chew loudly. Isobel Goodwin eats loudly, and it drives me insane. She does it on purpose now — she deliberately does it to wind me up. Chewing noises or scraping the plate. I can't stand it. It really makes my skin crawl.

Your favorite musical artist right now: It's a toss-up between Olivia Dean and Raye, but I feel like Raye's new album is just so incredible. There's more production value in Raye’s music, and I think that's why she's pitching it a little bit.

Shout out to a non-football women's sport athlete that you think is killing the game right now: Emma Raducanu.

Your advice to younger athletes who want to be in your position someday: Don't put pressure on yourself and focus on enjoying the game. When you become a professional, sometimes it's hard to remember to enjoy it. Fully embrace having fun. Making mistakes doesn't matter; just enjoy those moments.