FRAN KIRBY says her final few months at Chelsea had been very emotional after leaving the club a Women’s Super League champion.
And while the ex-Blue, 30, wants to win more trophies in future, she vowed to enjoy her title-winning moment.
Kirby produced a fairytale ending to her nine-year Chelsea career with a goal scoring cameo in their 6-0 thrashing of Manchester United on Saturday.
The forward, described by former Blues chief Emma Hayes as a generational talent, fired home the visitors’ final goal.
Her finish was the among the strikes that helped the team become WSL champions for the fifth season in a row.
Kirby, now a free agent following the expiration of her contract, told reporters: “The last few months have been very emotional and very trying to get through one day at a time.
“For me, as a footballer, you always know these situations happen and probably when I was announcing it around that time, I was very emotional.
“But at the end of the day, I just wanted to get to the end of the season and win a trophy so that became my main focus.
“For me now it’s just (about) enjoying it, enjoying the moment and hopefully in the next few years I can win a few more trophies.”
Following a 2015 Blues move from Reading, Kirby won 16 trophies with Chelsea including seven Women’s Super League titles.
This month the forward was claimed to have attracted interest from Arsenal, with Vivianne Miedema leaving.
But it’s thought the Gunners’ interest in her has since cooled with the north London giants reported to be eyeing a swoop for Barcelona ace Mariona Caldentey.
Whichever club Kirby moves to next, the Lioness ace hopes to keep on winning as well as bringing out the best in those around her.
The forward, named in England’s squad for two upcoming Euros qualifier duels with France, adds: “I’m super competitive in everything I do I want to win.
“As I’ve said before in previous interviews, whether that’s at this club, or wherever else I go.
“My main focus is to win and to try and help whoever I can around me and that is what I’m going to do.”
For Kirby’s former boss Hayes’, the grind continues with the ex-Chelsea chief going straight to work in her new role as USA women’s national team head coach this week.
Her side will play four warm-up fixtures in preparation for their battle for a gold medal in the Paris Olympics women’s football contest.
The first two of those friendlies will be duels with South Korea in Colorado and Minnesota on the first and fifth of June.
On whether she feels ready to get straight to work again, Hayes, 47, said: “It’s not tiring thinking about going to the Olympics is it? It’s different, a different energy.
“I’ll be reinvigorated and re-energised with something else. Sometimes people think you need a rest, but sometimes you just need to change.
“On Monday I speak to (officials about) players and staff and Tuesday I’m on a leadership call with the US leadership (team).
“On Wednesday I fly to New York and then there is press on Thursday in Denver.
“And on Friday I will speak to staff and get prepared for the team to arrive next Monday.
“They deserve my full attention and they will get that from me.”
