If England women win the World Cup they can change football in this country forever
IF ENGLAND win this World Cup it will be like the history-making USA side in 1999. That is the moment that changed football in America. The knock-on effect would be huge. I’m not even playing this time but I’m putting pressure on myself to perform! If the Lionesses can do it this summer, I know […]
IF ENGLAND win this World Cup it will be like the history-making USA side in 1999.
That is the moment that changed football in America. The knock-on effect would be huge.
I’m not even playing this time but I’m putting pressure on myself to perform!
If the Lionesses can do it this summer, I know this will be the moment.
Going into the World Cup as a player in 2007 is when I first noticed things starting to change.
Two years later we got to the final of the Euros and lost out to Germany but we were on the up and we had momentum.
We had more support than ever before going into the Euros in 2013. Things were slowly continuing to change and we were getting more attention.
It felt like everybody was talking about us and then we bombed so bad it was unbelievable. We didn’t get out of the group.
The girls are in news-papers every single day and have their faces on billboards around the country and it’s amazing
Former England star Alex Scott
Our former manager Hope Powell has always said it was because we did not handle what was going on around us and that our minds were all over the place.
I know as a player that I was fully focused on the game but that tournament was a wake-up call for us.
The buzz around the team going into this tournament is new for Phil Neville’s players, too. The girls are in news-papers every single day and have their faces on billboards around the country and it’s amazing.
But I’ll always remember Brent Hill, who was England’s assistant manager at the time, telling me that you have to let the football do the talking.
If you go and win then great, you’re household names and superstars. If you don’t, all that is taken away.
You have to make sure your focus is always on the football, regardless of what is going on outside.
This is why it’s important to have experienced players in the squad along with our World Cup debutants.
BRONZE THE LEADER
Players like Karen Carney, 31, have shown during recent warm-up games their ability to come on and calm the situation. She was getting on the ball and making sure that her passes connect.
Simple things like that can change the performances of the players around you.
Younger players in those moments can sometimes be frantic, trying difficult passes instead of thinking ‘let’s just keep the ball’.
We’ve got Carney, Jill Scott and Lucy Bronze — who is turning into the ultimate leader and warrior in this England team.
I’m sure those players will get that group together and remind them that if they don’t focus on the football then they’re not going to inspire a generation.
Not one England player can afford to have an, ‘it’s only Scotland’ approach
Alex Scott
Every time I have ever played against Scotland, we knew in our heads that we were going to win the game.
They didn’t have the same level of experience.
We were miles ahead when it came to training, funding and facilities.
It wasn’t that we were complacent, we just knew that if we played well then we would win.
Things are totally different going into the game tomorrow because the bulk of their team are now professional as well.
Not one England player can afford to have an, ‘it’s only Scotland’ approach.
Many of them, like Jennifer Beattie and Kim Little play in the WSL and train day-in day-out with top-class stars.
Most Read In Football
This is a Scotland team who now believe they can cause an upset.
They believe they can match this England team and get out of the group and I think they can, even as one of the four best third-placed teams.
I played under their boss Shelley Kerr at Arsenal so I know how she gets her teams together, how she instils belief in the her players and gives them confidence.