As an incredible year comes to an end for Women's Football, Hope Powell has spoken of the great joy that 2006 has provided and the huge opportunity that awaits in 2007. While Hope is proud of what has been achieved so far, she is in no mood to rest on her laurels.

Hope told TheFA.com: "The night we qualified for the World Cup in France, we had a team meeting and it was made clear to the players that we had to enjoy the moment. But we don't want to go to China [for the Women's World Cup in September] and make up the numbers - we want to try and make an impact.

"You could see throughout the qualifying campaign that the players didn't want to feel the way they felt after the European Championship in 2005.

"To make it to China was extra special because we weren't expected to qualify, and I think the pressure was on France. We set our agenda and our stall out and I really believe in taking each game as it comes.

"I think the performance against Holland was our best of the campaign the result and the fact that we did it in such style was a joy to watch." 

One of the key factors for the World Cup next year will undoubtedly be fitness levels and Hope is confident that the players will be in good shape when they make it to China in September.

"We try and support them as best we can, they will be training within their clubs so that will obviously help.  We also support them in terms of fitness training, they have personal trainers that The FA fund, and we also do regional testing.

"We look to bring them together as much as we can to work on strategies and tactics that we're looking to play with in the future.

"Obviously there's a very tough domestic season and in the time that we have with the players we try to maximise what input we have."

Hope is adamant that until the squad is named for the World Cup every place is up for grabs, and that means there is an opportunity for a number of promising young players to show what they can do.

"Absolutely, that was what happened with Eniola Aluko and Karen Carney before Euro 2005, so that's why I'm saying that there are no certainties for the World Cup.

"I think we can improve all over the pitch - just because we have qualified for the World Cup doesn't mean we are the best team in the world. We're not, and we still have a long way to go.

"I think that the youth in our game are fantastic, it's the fastest growing female sport in this country and I think that some of the younger kids coming through are amazing.

"The kids at the under-12 age group have been playing organised football practically from birth and we just want to keep them in the game if you can."

Hope will also be keeping a keen eye on potential World Cup opponents as they make their preparations for China.

"We try and learn from the bigger nations in Women's Football, obviously the likes of Germany, Sweden and USA, and we have lots of discussions with them about how to move forward," Hope explained. 

"The beauty of Women's Football is that everyone is happy to share, we had a coaches forum in Switzerland in early December and everyone is very open and honest.

"Things like how many weeks each country is going to China for is an example of the kind of things we're keeping tabs on.

"You sometimes want to know what everyone else is doing just so you know that you're on the right track.

"The likes of Germany who have experienced more World Cups than we have will probably be more relaxed about it than us. But we try to keep an eye on everybody."