Crystal Palace Women achieve the unexpected as WSL prepares for season closer thanks to Premier League symmetry

Crystal Palace have been confirmed as the latest additions to the WSL ahead of the 2024/25 season.

He Eagles assured promotion to WSL after a 0-0 draw on the final day of the Women's Championship season.

It is a remarkable achievement considering that, at the start of the season, no one expected Palace to even be in the promotion fight.

They had finished a respectable, but not overwhelming, fifth place in the table the previous season.

Manager Laura Kaminski told talkSPORT's women's football show it had been something of a blessing in disguise.

She said: “I think that has helped us because there are clubs that are coming to the end of three or two year projects where their ambitions are now set, and all eyes are on in terms of promotion to the WSL.”

He added: “When I first came in, for me, it was all about getting good people – staff and players. So that was really the basis of my job. And that's how it started. And I knew I had to move quickly. But There was no pressure to do what we've done, but it just happened.

Palace have been involved in an extremely close race for promotion in the Women's Championship that at one point saw Sunderland, Charlton and Southampton all in with a chance of reaching the WSL.

But with all four competing teams making mistakes at various points in the season, the final matches have become more crucial than ever and it is Palace who have been best able to hold their nerve.

Asked when she began to believe promotion to the WSL could be a realistic possibility for Palace, Kaminski replied: “I'll be honest and say never.”

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“I think everyone said it more than me. I'll tell you what, I haven't looked at the table once all year. Because the tables are irrelevant, until you get to the end of things. There was no point in look at the table, it would just give me a whirl.

He added: “I've focused on us all year, on our camp, on our players, rather than on the opposition, which I think has taken a lot of pressure off the group. And I've told the group over and over again: The only pressure week after week is performance, not points. “There is a difference.”

Their approach has certainly paid off: Palace will take their place in the WSL next season.

Their promotion means that, provided Everton avoid relegation this season and Leicester secure promotion to the Premier League, every time in the WSL next season they will have a counterpart team in the Premier League.

This is likely to make the relegation battle in the WSL more competitive than ever, given that for the last four seasons the relegated team has not had an equivalent men's team in the Premier League.

It is a factor that has often contributed greatly to their eventual demotion in the WSL.

Last season, former Reading manager Kelly Chambers explained that the resulting lack of purchasing power he gave teams meant they were often unable to put up any sort of fight against teams that could draw on financial resources.

Chambers spoke about how other struggling clubs, such as Tottenham and Leicester, were able to buy players such as Bethany England and Janina Leitzig to bail themselves out in a way that Reading's budget simply did not allow.

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But Palace Women will have the support of their Premier League team, something Kaminski said was of great benefit to the women's team.

She said: “I think ours looks a little bit different to other clubs, because some Premier League clubs are in a great position and build facilities specifically for women. Great, you know, that's the direction of travel, that the game is meant to be.

“But at Palace, we're all integrated. And actually, that's been great this year, because there's kind of a buzz around a hotbed of workplaces for under-8s, for under-14s, already You know, the kids in the women's first team are all collectively united and I think that has created a great kind of balance and work spirit throughout the building.

“Everything is very integrated. I see the boys training, we are all in the office together with the under-21 staff, with the Academy, the Boys' Academy. And now the Girls' Academy has been developed.”

It bodes well for Palace, especially after Bristol City Women were relegated from the WSL after just one season and failed to gain any kind of momentum.

Kaminski added: “I think the integration has really helped with the culture and the environment of the club because it has helped me absorb the club, whereas if it had been segregated, maybe it wouldn't have worked as well. So maybe I've taken advantage of it.” of it.” of that, and being as if involved in each other.

“It's actually an excellent work environment. And it helps me share learnings and thoughts. We are all involved in each other's performances and results. I think it helps broaden the club's philosophy and spread it throughout all departments.”

You can tune in to talkSPORT's women's football show on Mondays from 7pm on talkSPORT 2.