Mark Sampson has challenged his England side to build on their success at Canada 2015 by winning the next European Championship. The Lionesses open their Netherlands 2017 qualifying campaign on Monday night when they face Estonia in Tallinn. It is the first game England have played since they beat Germany in Edmonton in the World Cup third-place play-off.
That achievement not only captured countless hearts and minds but ensured England were the highest placed European nation in Canada. Sampson believes they can finish top of the continental pile again in two years’ time but remains well aware that this will necessitate both technical and tactical improvement as well as demanding exceptional dedication.
“The team have set a target and we want to win the tournament,” Sampson said. “But we know if Euro 2017 was played tomorrow we certainly wouldn’t be favourites and it would be very difficult for us to win it. But we have a two-year process to get us there.” He accepts England’s principal rivals will almost certainly have similar plans in place. “I’m sure there are six or seven teams who are saying they can win it,” he said.
The squad he named for the Estonia game showed seven changes from the one that flew back from Edmonton in early July while injuries dictated only 16 fit outfield players were on the flight to Tallinn.
While the sidelined Lucy Bronze, Claire Rafferty, Toni Duggan, Alex Scott and Siobhan Chamberlain are all likely to be missed on Monday night, Sampson’s decision not to call Beth Mead into his party has created controversy in Women’s Super League (WSL) circles. The young Sunderland striker is the League’s top scorer but, although she has trained with the squad, the coach has opted to delay her international debut.
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