Last time we sat down with McCabe, we were in the stands at her new Stamford Bridge home. Now we catch up with her again but this time on the other side of the world, and we start by asking how she’s been getting on in the meantime.

‘After a busy season, it was really nice to have some time off after the international break,’ McCabe begins.

‘We had two or three weeks of complete off time, so I went away with some friends and my partner, and then met up with some family over in Spain as well.

‘It was really nice to completely switch off, but then I think once you get to week two or three, you get the itch to get back to training.

‘I came in about a week earlier than everyone else, just to meet everyone - the staff and everyone at the training ground. And it was nice, actually, because there were a few of the girls in with me. On my first day, Nay (Naomi Girma) was there, Ellie (Carpenter) and Nat (Nathalie Bjorn).

‘We had a nice little training group the first few days before everyone came back. It was good to get a little bit of a head start, I guess.’

It’s clear that McCabe has laser focus on the job in front of her: integrating into a fresh environment and linking up with her new team-mates on the pitch. She makes a point of making everyone around her feel valued, and her people skills are an asset to the team.

That’s her blueprint for success: immersing herself in the culture here at Chelsea.

‘Naturally, it's a lot of change,’ she says. ‘Meeting new team-mates, a new coach and staff, new people around the club and in the background as well. I’m still getting to grips with things, but it's been a super welcoming environment to come into.

‘Everyone's been really friendly, really helpful, and it's been a nice few weeks to get up to speed with everything and see how Sonia works. I guess that's what pre-season's for: to get the head start before the season.

‘There's been a lot of firsts for me, being the new player. I was really excited about coming here. There's a real love for Chelsea over this side of the world, and it's a great opportunity for us to be able to connect with the fanbase over here.

‘Equally for me, it's getting that time, in the two weeks we have here, to get to know my team-mates a bit better, get to know staff a bit better. It's time you wouldn't really get at the training ground, because normally you're coming in, doing the work and everyone goes home at the end.

‘Here, we have that time to stay together a bit longer, have dinner, go for coffees together. It’s been really helpful for me being here, just getting to know everyone a lot better.

‘On this camp, I want to understand our game model a lot more and make connections with my team-mates on and off the pitch. For me, it's about understanding as quickly as possible how we play and how we do things, and understanding the values of the club. And ultimately, how we're going to get the best out of each other this year.’

McCabe and the rest of her Blues team-mates put on an open training session at Eden Park last week before the big win over Auckland FC. Afterwards, the left-back could be seen going over to the stands and talking at length with a woman and her son.

It turns out that it was just Katie doing what she does best – connecting with someone that matters to her and making them feel valued and appreciated.

‘I was talking to a former team-mate, we used to play together at Raheny United,’ she explains. ‘I was 15 or 16 coming into the senior team, and she was playing in that team.

‘She’s lived in New Zealand for 11 years, and she was with her little boy. They brought the Irish scarf and stuff like that, and his little Ireland T-shirt.

‘It was amazing to be able to connect with her again. I hadn't seen her in so long. It was a great opportunity for her to come and watch the session along with the rest of the fans that came.

‘I think that's the beauty of sport, really. It brings you to so many places, and you can reconnect with people you've not seen in so long.’