11 June 2005
Hope Powell & Eniola Aluko Reaction

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England bowed out of the Women’s Euro 2005 with heads held high after dominating their final Group A game against Sweden, one of the world’s super-powers, but losing 1-0 and so failing to reach the semi-finals.

Sweden and Finland, who England beat 3-2 in their opening group match, head into the last four while National Coach Hope Powell and her players are left to reflect on what might have been from a tremendously supported first week of the tournament.

A total of 69,481 spectators watched England’s three games, smashing UK and European attendance records as Powell’s side played entertainingly attacking football which, sadly for the fans, did not in the end produce the required results.

The national Coach was nevertheless unstinting in her praise for a young squad which has matured rapidly over the past few months and which Sweden coach Marika Domanski-Lyfors described as "the best England team ever" following her own side’s triumph.

Powell said: "The Swedes have been very complimentary, but that’s not much consolation at the moment and obviously we’re bitterly disappointed.

"Their goal came early and we knew we had the chance to come back into it, but although we applied lots of pressure we just couldn’t get the goal we needed.

"I’d play them again next week if they wanted a game, though – I don’t think we need fear anyone after the way we’ve performed during this tournament.

"We have to learn from the games we’ve played, and with such a young squad we can certainly take lots of positives out of it and move forward.

"There have been some outstanding individual performances, collectively the players have been outstanding and we now have massive team spirit and belief.

"We’ve proved we can compete with the best in the world and yet I believe there’s still more to come from the squad – it’s just a pity right now that we’re out of the tournament because the fans obviously want to support us.

"With almost 70,000 coming to the three games and millions watching on TV, the players have given women’s football in this country a massive boost – they’ve been magnificent."

Captain Faye White feels that the game has indeed been given a boost but always felt confident that the Women’s Euro 2005 would be a success.

"I knew the crowds would turn out and that it would be the best European tournament ever," she said. "I’m just so disappointed for the supporters as well as my team mates and the coaching staff.

"We desperately wanted to go one stage further for the sake of the fans, and although it wasn’t to be I think we’ve won over a lot of people in this past week.

"Perceptions of women’s football will have been changed with more people watching and seeing the levels we play at, and this England squad can reach even higher levels after the experience we’ve gained and the performances we’ve put in against some excellent teams."

Everton midfielder Fara Williams, one of England’s best performers in the tournament, shrugged off the compliments she received to spread the praise around the squad.

"Everybody who’s played during the tournament has shown they can compete as individuals against anyone they come up against," she said.

"Over the last couple of years we’ve done so much work on fitness and strength as well as skills and game understanding, and all that shows when we’re out there on the pitch.

"We’re looking to build and progress as a squad and the kids who have come in have shone as much as anyone – and I think we’ll go on improving as a squad."

Strange, perhaps, to hear a 21 year-old referring to ‘kids,’ but Williams has four years on Karen Carney and three on Eniola Aluko, both of whom have stepped up to senior international football only this season but have distinguished themselves during the Euros.

Aluko, defiant in defeat following the Sweden match, said: "Individually we were better than Sweden, technically we were better than Sweden, but we were guilty at times of playing our football in the wrong areas and that cost us.

"But we’ve done really well during the tournament in spite of the fact that we’re out of it, and I’m sure that what people have seen over the last few days will have opened some eyes to the qualities in women’s football."

While the eyes of Aluko and Carney will now switch to revision for ‘A’ level exams and the rest of the squad take a deserved rest, Coach Powell will turn her mind from the European Championships to the 2007 World Cup.

The qualifying stages begin in the early part of next season and first up for England in their qualifying group is a meeting with Austria – roll on September!