Fara comes out fighting

With the World Cup on the horizon, the build-up for England is in full flow.

On the back of a successful China Cup tournament in January, the next batch of matches are already upon the team. Russia are the first hurdle for Hope Powell’s side, then on Sunday Scotland, with Holland waiting in the wings for the final test on Wednesday evening.

Everton’s Fara Williams knows what playing for her country is all about and will shortly be a key player for Powell’s team, not only for the next three fixtures, but when the World Cup rolls around in September.

"I’m excited," said Fara. "We’ve got a squad of 30 now. We’re all fighting for our places and no one is guaranteed a place to go to the World Cup. There is also a standby list of ten players, so I suppose there are 40 of us competing for the 21 that goes to China. Every game we can be involved in, we’ve got to do well to be selected for the final squad."

Williams has been in fine form for Everton this season and since the turn of the year has got herself amongst the goals. She scored another one at the weekend against Cardiff and still had energy to burn in the dying moments of the game.

"I’m pleased with the way I’ve been progressing recently," she said. "I have upped my training a bit and I’m finding it easier to last longer in games and do things late on in matches to make a difference. For me the training is going well and my performances are playing off that.

"I’m at a level of fitness where I know I can go into games and last. But I want to be able to do something in the last couple of minutes. So I need to get to that next level of fitness and I’ve upped my training because of it."

The games in the forthcoming week will prove a test for the squad - at least that’s what the Toffees midfielder thinks. No game will be taken lightly as she and her team-mates want to get some forward momentum going.

"I’ve played a couple of times against Russia," Williams added. "They are a tough team to beat, which is why we have got them coming over here. It’s going to be difficult for us and its not going to be a pushover. Some may look at it thinking it will be an easy game, but definitely not.

"I remember going over to their place and we drew 2-2 and they came here and beat us 2-1. So it’s going to be difficult to get the result we need.

"Scotland have progressed loads and we know they are an up-and-coming team and they only lost 1-0 to Sweden last month. They won’t be easy either. Spectators may look at it feeling that they are ranked lower than us and thinking it will be easy. Definitely not, it’s going to be hard."

The build-up to the big event in the Far East is crucial for the team, but games on the bounce, training every day and large squads is nothing new for the players, as Williams explains:

"We did it before the Euros. We  had ten games before that tournament and we won every one of them. That’s what we want to do this time before the World Cup. Hopefully we can build a good winning streak and take that form forward. If we get the competition we need from other teams, then that will be even better.

"We need good team performances. The manager will be looking at everyone, so we need a team that will be able to compete in the games leading up to the World Cup. We need to get some experience together and go to the World Cup strong and for myself, I just want to stake a claim for the final group of 21."