Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw discusses her mental health struggles and racist abuse, impacting her decision to withdraw from a League Cup semi-final. She advocates for greater player protection and accountability for abuse. Shaw expresses optimism about Manchester City’s new direction under coach Andrée Jeglertz and looks forward to partnering with Vivianne Miedema. With recovered health, she aims to lead Manchester City to a WSL title.
Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, the prolific Manchester City striker, has broken her silence regarding her mental health struggles and the racist abuse she endured last season. In an exclusive interview, Shaw delves into her decision to withdraw from a crucial League Cup semi-final clash against Arsenal, shedding light on the profound impact of the abuse she suffered following a Women's Super League (WSL) defeat to the same opponent. The Jamaican international also discusses her hopes for the upcoming season, Manchester City's new direction under Andrée Jeglertz, and her burgeoning partnership with Vivianne Miedema.
"It’s difficult," Shaw confesses, emphasizing the critical need to prioritize mental well-being. "Sometimes you have to take a step back and think about you and your mental health because if you’re not in a good place you won’t be able to perform. I wasn’t in a good place. It was about more than what happened in that match. There’s a lot that people didn’t and don’t know about." Her withdrawal from the League Cup semi-final came just days after she was subjected to abhorrent racist abuse, prompting Manchester City to condemn the actions and report the incident to the authorities.
Shaw acknowledges the support she received from her close circle during this challenging period. "It was pretty scary to some extent," she admits. "But I’m lucky enough to have my family, my friends and those that care about me close. They’ve been there and supported me and helped me throughout that tough period." She is advocating for greater accountability and protection for players, particularly female athletes, who often lack the robust security and representation enjoyed by their male counterparts.
"There needs to be a lot more accountability as well because we can only talk for so much," Shaw asserts. "We can do our actions on the pitch but if it’s the same cycle of abuse over and over again then they’ll feel they can always get away with it. We need the higher-ups to do something about it because otherwise year on year on year we’re going to see more of the same." She emphasizes the urgent need for governing bodies to take decisive action to eradicate racism and abuse from the sport.
While Shaw remains reticent about the specifics of the abuse she faced, she hints at the deeper complexities of the situation. "There was more to it all than what the vast majority knew and, when I have time and when it’s right, I’m definitely going to speak on it. For now I just want to focus on the season and the first game." She expresses her frustration that the burden of addressing racism often falls on Black players, highlighting the systemic issues that need to be tackled.
Looking ahead to the new season, Shaw is optimistic about Manchester City's prospects under the guidance of new head coach Andrée Jeglertz. Following a disappointing previous campaign that saw Gareth Taylor sacked and the team finish trophyless and outside the Champions League qualification spots, Jeglertz's arrival has injected a new sense of energy and purpose into the squad.
"You find that we have energy we didn’t have before," Shaw reveals. "For whatever reason, I don’t understand why. The energy has definitely been different and definitely been better, possibly because it’s new and we don’t know what to expect. That drives the training more every day." She praises Jeglertz's clear vision and his emphasis on refining the team's existing strengths.
Jeglertz has been clear about what he wants to see. “He’s made it known from the get-go exactly what he wants from this group,” says Shaw. “He told us that he’s not trying to change us dramatically as players. We’re just trying to grasp the information and implement it as best as possible on the pitch to ensure when the first game comes, we are at least at a level to go out and perform at our best.”
Shaw's own contribution to the team was hampered by a foot injury last season, limiting her to just 10 league starts. Despite this, she still managed to share the WSL Golden Boot with Alessia Russo, scoring 12 goals. "It was definitely my weakest season," she concedes. "I started the season really well and unfortunately I had an injury that was out of my control, a fractured foot. Can’t really do much with that. I didn’t know I’d won the golden boot until the last day, on the pitch when they announced it, because that was nowhere in my thought. I was mentally not in a good place because I knew I couldn’t help the team the way I wanted to; as a player that’s what you want to be able to do, to be available for every game."
Now fully recovered and feeling rejuvenated, Shaw is eager to forge a strong partnership with Vivianne Miedema, whose own injury struggles meant that the pair only played three full games together last season. "We spoke about it and I think we only played three full games together, which is crazy," Shaw remarks. "We’re both in a good place at the moment, so it’s just about building now and then coming into the season, hopefully we’re ready."
As Manchester City prepare to face Chelsea in their WSL opener, Shaw is determined to lead her team to victory and challenge for the league title. "It’s City we’re talking about," she declares. "The ambition has to be there. It’s always fine margins. Two years ago we lost the league on goal difference. So it’s not like we’re far off. No Champions League is the reality. We’re in this position, we have a game every Sunday and that game should be the most important and that’s how we’re going to attack each game. Ultimately we have no excuse to not go and win the league."