BECKY WATKINS IS between college lectures on Tuesday afternoon when she takes The 42’s call.
The Peamount United star flies to Miami this week for the Más+ by Messi 1v1 World Crown football tournament.
“I’m really excited, but I also don’t really know what to expect because it’s been such a quick turnaround,” she begins.
“I obviously don’t know the other players I’m up against. I’m literally just watching videos to see what they’re like. But I am really looking forward to it, and grateful that I got to go somewhere like Miami for it.”
Watkins was crowned Dublin champion last Saturday week after a 1v1 small-sided games tournament on Digges Street astro pitch. Cobh Ramblers youngster Evan Deasy won the men’s equivalent, with other qualifiers taking place in LA, Toronto and London.
How it came about was “really random,” Watkins recalls. Her Peamount team-mate, goalkeeper Amanda Budden, pointed her towards an Instagram message she originally dismissed and encouraged her to go for it.
“I got a text on Instagram, I kind of just had thought it was a scam or something. You know the way you get random ads and things? I was like, ‘Ah I’m not even replying to this.’
“She (Budden) was like, ‘No, it’s actually real. The prize is real, and it’s such a good opportunity.’ Then I looked into it and I was like, ‘Oh shit, it’s actually really good.’
“I knew one of the other girls going to it, and I thought, ‘Ah sure maybe I’ll just go for it to see how I get on.’ I was kind of just presuming I wouldn’t get anywhere, it’d just be a bit of craic.”
It was a “last-minute decision” to even go, the message arriving on the Monday and her commitment confirmed on the Wednesday along with another Peamount team-mate, Mary Phillips.
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The day itself was a real buzz. “It was this cool astro, there was a little mini crowd around where you were playing. It set the tone, because you were circled in and there was an applause and a good response if you done well. They had music playing, a commentator.
“Next thing, I was in the final. I was like, ‘Right, okay, if I win this, I go to Miami, so I better try!’”
Mission accomplished.
But Super Saturday didn’t stop there. Hours later, Watkins scored a brace for Peamount in their 5-0 win over Waterford in the Women’s Premier Division.
“It was just a great day in general,” she smiles. “After, I was like, ‘Right, I need to come back down to reality now really quickly.’
“I remember my Mam ringing me, she couldn’t believe that I won but then she was like, ‘You need to get yourself back to reality here now, you have to do a job later.’ It was nearly good for me in a way that I wasn’t overthinking the game. Sometimes I’d overthink games, I nearly didn’t have a chance all morning because there was so much going on and I was telling people what happened.
“I got to Peamount and I was like, ‘I actually need to prove myself here, because I’m getting a slagging from all my team-mates, being like , ‘Oooh 1v1!’
“It was just a brilliant day. I probably should have done the lotto or something, because I was lucky all round!”
Becky Watkins is so good at dribbling that even Lionel Messi has acknowledged it! 🐐
If you want to see Becky and the Peas in action then get yourself to Greenogue Park on Saturday! ⚽️🟢⚫️ pic.twitter.com/qIfFUguiHB
The madness continued into the following week, when Messi himself commented on a video of Watkins in action at the Dublin tournament.
“I nearly started crying when he commented! I clicked in and I was like, ‘No, this has to be a fan page . . . someone’s messing with me or something.’ But oh my God, it’s so cool that he recognised it. Even if he didn’t and it was his agent or someone, it was still pretty cool.”
Watkins may now play in front of the Argentine superstar in Miami, but is unsure of his attendance.
“They (organisers) were asking me, ‘How would you feel getting chance to play in front of Messi,’ and I was like, ‘To be honest, most people growing up just want to watch Messi.’ To get the the chance to actually watch him in person is unbelievable, never mind you potentially playing in front of him.
“A few people are asking me (if he’ll be there), and I don’t know. I’m not getting my hopes up too much with that. If he’s even in the vicinity, it would be amazing. The fact that it’s his competition, it’s still class. It’d be a huge bonus if I see him but I’m not sure if I will.”
Representing Ireland on the world stage is an honour too, having pulled on the green shirt for underage teams in the past.
“It’s something random. I would have never gone for anything like this, I didn’t even know there were opportunities like this out there.
“I think it might keep my eyes open to more things like this, not necessarily just 1v1s, but it’s great to see things that you don’t have to be playing for a League of Ireland club, it doesn’t really matter who you are. The people there were from all over. There was someone from Barcelona, someone from London. It was literally just down to how you get on on that day, which I thought was pretty cool.”
Watkins in action for Peamount (file photo). Evan Treacy / INPHO
Evan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
The Offaly native always enjoyed 1v1s in training, but she did’t realise they were a real strength of her game until recently.
“When I became a winger, that was the biggest thing that you had to get good at. Out of all the positions on the pitch, that’s where you’re going to take someone on, and you’re left isolated at times to do that.
“I don’t like defending them as much. I don’t know if that’s my strong point, but I think when you are successful in 1v1, there’s no better feeling, because it’s just you versus one other person. It’s whatever skill you have, or whatever you do in that moment, your decision making, you’ve got by that player and normally in match, it’s a huge opportunity of either taking a shot or putting a really good cross in.”
College remains Watkins’ focus tomorrow — she’s studying Primary School Teaching in Maynooth University — before heading home and likely going to watch Athlone Town’s Uefa Women’s Europa Cup game.
Then it’s off to Miami on Thursday morning ahead of the tournament on Friday.
“It is mental,” Watkins concludes. “Because they’re sorting literally everything for me, it’s fine. I think if I had to sort of myself, I would be all over the place.”
A once in a lifetime opportunity awaits. The whirlwind continues.
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'I thought it was a scam' - Representing Ireland at Messi's tournament in Miami
BECKY WATKINS IS between college lectures on Tuesday afternoon when she takes The 42’s call.
The Peamount United star flies to Miami this week for the Más+ by Messi 1v1 World Crown football tournament.
“I’m really excited, but I also don’t really know what to expect because it’s been such a quick turnaround,” she begins.
“I obviously don’t know the other players I’m up against. I’m literally just watching videos to see what they’re like. But I am really looking forward to it, and grateful that I got to go somewhere like Miami for it.”
Watkins was crowned Dublin champion last Saturday week after a 1v1 small-sided games tournament on Digges Street astro pitch. Cobh Ramblers youngster Evan Deasy won the men’s equivalent, with other qualifiers taking place in LA, Toronto and London.
How it came about was “really random,” Watkins recalls. Her Peamount team-mate, goalkeeper Amanda Budden, pointed her towards an Instagram message she originally dismissed and encouraged her to go for it.
“I got a text on Instagram, I kind of just had thought it was a scam or something. You know the way you get random ads and things? I was like, ‘Ah I’m not even replying to this.’
“She (Budden) was like, ‘No, it’s actually real. The prize is real, and it’s such a good opportunity.’ Then I looked into it and I was like, ‘Oh shit, it’s actually really good.’
“I knew one of the other girls going to it, and I thought, ‘Ah sure maybe I’ll just go for it to see how I get on.’ I was kind of just presuming I wouldn’t get anywhere, it’d just be a bit of craic.”
It was a “last-minute decision” to even go, the message arriving on the Monday and her commitment confirmed on the Wednesday along with another Peamount team-mate, Mary Phillips.
The day itself was a real buzz. “It was this cool astro, there was a little mini crowd around where you were playing. It set the tone, because you were circled in and there was an applause and a good response if you done well. They had music playing, a commentator.
“Next thing, I was in the final. I was like, ‘Right, okay, if I win this, I go to Miami, so I better try!’”
Mission accomplished.
But Super Saturday didn’t stop there. Hours later, Watkins scored a brace for Peamount in their 5-0 win over Waterford in the Women’s Premier Division.
“It was just a great day in general,” she smiles. “After, I was like, ‘Right, I need to come back down to reality now really quickly.’
“I remember my Mam ringing me, she couldn’t believe that I won but then she was like, ‘You need to get yourself back to reality here now, you have to do a job later.’ It was nearly good for me in a way that I wasn’t overthinking the game. Sometimes I’d overthink games, I nearly didn’t have a chance all morning because there was so much going on and I was telling people what happened.
“I got to Peamount and I was like, ‘I actually need to prove myself here, because I’m getting a slagging from all my team-mates, being like , ‘Oooh 1v1!’
“It was just a brilliant day. I probably should have done the lotto or something, because I was lucky all round!”
The madness continued into the following week, when Messi himself commented on a video of Watkins in action at the Dublin tournament.
“I nearly started crying when he commented! I clicked in and I was like, ‘No, this has to be a fan page . . . someone’s messing with me or something.’ But oh my God, it’s so cool that he recognised it. Even if he didn’t and it was his agent or someone, it was still pretty cool.”
Watkins may now play in front of the Argentine superstar in Miami, but is unsure of his attendance.
“They (organisers) were asking me, ‘How would you feel getting chance to play in front of Messi,’ and I was like, ‘To be honest, most people growing up just want to watch Messi.’ To get the the chance to actually watch him in person is unbelievable, never mind you potentially playing in front of him.
“A few people are asking me (if he’ll be there), and I don’t know. I’m not getting my hopes up too much with that. If he’s even in the vicinity, it would be amazing. The fact that it’s his competition, it’s still class. It’d be a huge bonus if I see him but I’m not sure if I will.”
Representing Ireland on the world stage is an honour too, having pulled on the green shirt for underage teams in the past.
“It’s something random. I would have never gone for anything like this, I didn’t even know there were opportunities like this out there.
“I think it might keep my eyes open to more things like this, not necessarily just 1v1s, but it’s great to see things that you don’t have to be playing for a League of Ireland club, it doesn’t really matter who you are. The people there were from all over. There was someone from Barcelona, someone from London. It was literally just down to how you get on on that day, which I thought was pretty cool.”
The Offaly native always enjoyed 1v1s in training, but she did’t realise they were a real strength of her game until recently.
“When I became a winger, that was the biggest thing that you had to get good at. Out of all the positions on the pitch, that’s where you’re going to take someone on, and you’re left isolated at times to do that.
“I don’t like defending them as much. I don’t know if that’s my strong point, but I think when you are successful in 1v1, there’s no better feeling, because it’s just you versus one other person. It’s whatever skill you have, or whatever you do in that moment, your decision making, you’ve got by that player and normally in match, it’s a huge opportunity of either taking a shot or putting a really good cross in.”
College remains Watkins’ focus tomorrow — she’s studying Primary School Teaching in Maynooth University — before heading home and likely going to watch Athlone Town’s Uefa Women’s Europa Cup game.
Then it’s off to Miami on Thursday morning ahead of the tournament on Friday.
“It is mental,” Watkins concludes. “Because they’re sorting literally everything for me, it’s fine. I think if I had to sort of myself, I would be all over the place.”
A once in a lifetime opportunity awaits. The whirlwind continues.
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