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Stalled Progress Before the Breakthrough
It wasn’t only at international level where Georgia Stanway felt things weren’t going as expected. At Manchester City, she struggled for regular minutes in her preferred midfield role, with then-head coach Gareth Taylor often deploying her at right-back or left-back due to her versatility and reliability.
“I was at a standstill,” she told Sky Sports. “I just wasn’t as happy as I knew I could be.” At the time, she felt her development had plateaued despite her established status at club level.
Key Points:
- Stanway struggled for consistent midfield minutes at Manchester City, often deployed in defensive roles due to her versatility, which left her feeling she had “plateaued” and “at a standstill.”
- Despite early success at City—including a Champions League semi-final run and inclusion in the 2017-18 Team of the Season—she grew frustrated with limited development in her preferred position.
- A key turning point came ahead of Euro 2022, when Sarina Wiegman reshuffled England’s setup, allowing Stanway to start all six matches in their victorious campaign.
- Her 2022 move to Bayern Munich proved pivotal, giving her a fresh start and freedom, and she has since become one of England’s most reliable midfield starters under Wiegman.
Early Promise at Manchester City
Stanway’s early career progression had been rapid. After rising through Blackburn Rovers’ youth system and breaking into the first team, she joined Manchester City at just 16 and quickly became a key figure in the squad.
By the 2017-18 season, still a teenager, she helped City reach the UEFA Women’s Champions League semi-finals, narrowly losing 1-0 on aggregate to Lyon, and earned a place in the competition’s Team of the Season.
Role Uncertainty and Euro 2022 Turning Point
By the 2021-22 season, frustration had begun to build as she was no longer a regular starter in midfield. While she accepted team needs, she admitted versatility was not her long-term preference, telling Sky Sports: “Going forward, that isn’t something I want to be.”
Heading into UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, her place in the England setup was uncertain. She was even named on the bench in a pre-tournament friendly, with Sarina Wiegman openly unsure where she fit in the starting XI.
Major Shift Under Wiegman and Euro Success
Two key changes altered her trajectory. First, Wiegman repositioned Leah Williamson into central defence, opening a midfield role for Stanway. She went on to start all six matches as England won Euro 2022 and has since remained a key fixture, starting 48 of 59 available matches and every major tournament game under Wiegman.
Second, her pre-agreed transfer to Bayern Munich provided clarity and freedom. Stanway later said: “I think the reason that I did so well at the Euros was because I’d already signed for Bayern – I was just free.”
New Beginning in Germany
After nearly eight years at Manchester City, where she played close to 200 matches, won seven trophies, and became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, Stanway felt her growth had slowed.
“I felt like for the last 18 months, I had plateaued,” she said. The move to Bayern Munich in 2022 gave her the reset she needed.
Describing it as stepping out of her comfort zone, she explained that the move was about testing her limits: “How good could I be?” In Germany, that answer has become increasingly clear, with Stanway developing into one of the leading midfielders in women’s football.
