In July, England’s Lionesses take to the centre stage in Australia and New Zealand in a bid to add yet another trophy to their cabinet; the FIFA Women’s 2023 World Cup. It will be the first major international tournament for six of the Lionesses, three of which come from Manchester clubs.
Broadcast black-outs and injury woes aside, there is a palpable buzz surrounding this summer's tournament heightened by such a sensational season in women’s football.
Former Manchester City and Lioness star Jill Scott agreed with MEN Sport: “I’m really looking forward to it. I think England's chances are really high, I know we've had some injuries but I think we've got a lot of young players that can step up now they have been given the opportunity and are definitely good enough.
“Look at the talent in Lauren James. You've got Kiera Walsh, and Georgia Stanway, who were at a different level in the Euros and I think they'll step up again. So yeah, I'm really positive about it and I think having a manager in Sarina, I feel like there's just a different level to everybody else.”
England boss Sarina Wiegman named her 23-player travelling squad on May 31 and it caused some controversy amid die-hard fans.
City’s Esme Morgan previously missed out on the Euros last summer due to injury, however, she is joined by teammate Laura Coombs in their inaugural major tournament on the international stage. They travel with teammates and European Champions Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp and Ellie Roebuck to Australia and New Zealand in July.
On the other side of Manchester, Golden Glove winner Mary Earps travels with United’s Player of the Year Alessia Russo and Ella Toone. But the squad also welcomes Katie Zelem into their ranks as she prepares for her first major tournament, while Maya Le Tissier narrowly misses out. She will however travel with the team alongside City’s Jess Park.
Le Tissier’s absence was a shock to most simply due to the stellar season she has had beside Millie Turner. I need not remind you of the last ditch sliding-effort to deny City’s Khadija Shaw on derby day a few weeks back, let alone the brace she scored on opening day on her club debut - week-in-week-out the 21-year-old has performed valiantly, just simply in the wrong position. “We see her more of a right-sided full-back” marked Wiegman upon a question, “and she's been playing centre back for her club,” ouch.
Unfortunately, that's part and parcel of being at the top with its cut-throat nature, but nothing a young player can’t bounce back from. Scott continued upon taking a moment to reflect: “I think in the Euros, I was really surprised with the mentality in a way.
“I remember the younger players just being so confident, and they just seemed to go game to game and just enjoy it. I felt like they were just relishing the opportunity to play in front of big crowds, I'm sure they were a little bit nervous but with every tournament, you get more confident you definitely do.
“I think people forget that the Euros was Lauren Hemp's first major tournament because of how good a player she is. And I think she's going to be even better again come this World Cup. So yeah, there’s so much to look forward to and the sheer determination of these players on a day-to-day basis. I think there's definitely the potential to go out there and win it.”
We consider Kelly, Hemp, Toone and Russo as the key players and leaders heading into the World Cup, when we forget the Euros was their first taste of a major tournament. Even more so, Kelly was returning from a dreaded Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury and has since had the tournament and season of her life. But pinning the country's hopes on a handful of players, is that too much pressure?
“I openly spoke about probably feeling more nervous and more pressure as my career went on because of the shift in the women's game, whereas I suppose for them girls, they've experienced stuff from quite a young age", Scott added.
“I'm sure they'll still get nervous but there's a lot of support. I remember driving in on the coach to Wembley for the final and seeing Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp, and Leah Williamson’s names on the back of kids' shirts and we're all looking like 'look Beth there's a little girl with your shirt on' and you can see the players getting a lift.”
The landscape of Women’s football is undeniably different, somewhat unrecognisable from even 12 months ago. The new pedigree of players must be able to take ever-increasing demands in their stride from training, to media to sponsorship deals, time with their fan base and balancing, well, life.
Scott continued: “I think obviously there are more loaded demands on the players [now] it was always at that level in terms of you do a season, then you do a tournament and then you do a season again and, to be honest, after the 2019 World Cup, I totally broke down mentally physically, I did a full season. And then I played seven full games in the World Cup and I got back to the club and I just wasn't ready to go again.
“What's different for the players now is that on the back of the Euros, there's this massive demand off the pitch as well. So I've just hope that we're looking after the players.
“Physically, I think the club's got sports scientists, clubs now have three, four physiotherapists, back in the day it was one physio who sometimes was the coach as well so, it's about getting that level of support.
“But I do think we'll have to look after the players mentally as well because, for me, injuries happen when you're tired you're not sleeping and you've got to think the players are humans as well. They haven't just got football going on in their life.
“So yeah, obviously there's a lot of different factors when you look at injuries, the fact of the weather, Biomechanics, how you move everything like that, but I just think if we can get them small percentages, right and for me, looking after the players is the biggest one.”
Tickets for Soccer Aid For UNICEF on Sunday 11th June 2023, are still on sale via www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets with a family of four able to attend for just £60 – two adults and two children
