04 June 2005        
Brent on training

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Brent Hills, the Tord Grip of the England Women’s team, knows this weekend’s clash against the Finns will not be easy. But with a successful run of friendlies and a good week of training in the bag, he feels the players have given themselves the best possible chance of success.

Speaking exclusively to TheFA.com at the team hotel, Brent said everything seemed to be clicking into place.

"The preparations are going very well. The friendlies have gone pretty much according to plan - the results have been quite good, but more importantly the performances have been good.

"The players have been trying to put into practice all the things we’ve been working on which will give them a good chance in the finals."

With several games in quick succession lying in wait, training has had to be meticulously planned, but everything appears to have gone well as we approach the big kick-off.

"This week we’ve had to think very carefully about the training," confirmed the Assistant National Coach. "We have to do enough work to thoroughly prepare the team, particularly for the first game against Finland on Sunday, but also we have to be very aware of tapering down.

"We mustn’t leave anything on the training pitch - when they come into the first match they must be totally prepared and totally fresh.

"But training’s gone well. We’re training once a day and supplementing that with team meetings and video analysis in order to make sure we’re prepared for Sunday.

"Everyone’s healthy – they’ve all been working hard. We had a practice game behind closed doors which went very well and allowed us to work on things we plan to do on Sunday, and everyone came through that fine."

With everyone looking sharp on the training pitch, and results in friendlies being very positive, the side looks to be hitting it’s peak at just the right time – but it is certainly not an overnight success, as Brent would certainly testify to.

"I started in 2002 and the fitness levels have gone up I would say 30 to 40 percent in that time," he said.

"That’s due first and foremost to the players’ dedication and time, secondly to the aims and objectives that Hope and the whole staff have set the players and also to the expertise of Dawn Scott who supports the players year round.

"Sunday will be the culmination of lots of hard work – for Hope seven years hard work, for the rest of the staff probably three or four years.

"It’ll be a proud moment to play in your own country, but I do have to say that all the thoughts of the staff will be focussed on the job - we’ll be concerned with trying to win the game."

England kick-off their campaign against Finland at 7pm on Sunday 05 June at the City of Manchester Stadium.