Mark Sampson wants England to build on strong World Cup performance

08 September 2015 09:16

England Women's boss Mark Sampson has urged his team to take strength from their World Cup performance when they head into Euro 2017 qualifying.

The Lionesses finished third at the summer finals in Canada, making them the leading European side at the tournament, and launch their next campaign with a preliminary game against Estonia in Tallinn.

Sampson has handed a first call-up to Manchester City's Isobel Christiansen, a 23-year-old midfielder, and recalled Jess Clarke, Demi Stokes, Amy Turner and Gemma Davison. There are second call-ups for Gilly Flaherty and Danielle Carter, who are both awaiting their first caps.

The Euro 2017 Group Seven qualifier takes place on September 21, and sees England have to cope without the injured Fara Williams and Jade Moore, with Sampson resting established squad members Jordan Nobbs, Katie Chapman, Karen Carney, Lianne Sanderson and Jodie Taylor.

Sampson said : "It's important that we keep building on the momentum from the World Cup and keep improving.

"Our ambition is to continue to grow as a team over the course of the qualification process and the match with Estonia signifies not the start of our journey but the next stage in the group's journey.

"With the limited rest period for some players following the World Cup, there are some of the tournament squad who have yet to recover fully from injuries they sustained over the course of the season.

"Working with the clubs, we have left some players, who would have been selected for the squad, out to continue their rehab work.

"This has opened the door for a new group of players who were not part of the World Cup group but have shown strong qualities over the course of the season and deserve an opportunity as part of our England group."

England squad: Bardsley (Manchester City), Chamberlain (Notts County), Telford (Notts County); Bassett (Notts County), Bronze (Manchester City), Flaherty (Chelsea), Greenwood (Notts County), Houghton (Manchester City), Rafferty (Chelsea), Scott (Arsenal), Stoney (Arsenal), Turner (Notts County), Stokes (Manchester City); Christiansen (Manchester City), Potter (Birmingham City), Scott (Manchester City); Aluko (Chelsea), Carter (Arsenal), Clarke (Notts County), Davison (Chelsea), Duggan (Manchester City), Kirby (Chelsea), White (Notts County).

Source: PA