Powell hopes for lasting legacy

By Luke McLaughlin

Promising form
Results for Powell’s team have been outstanding in the build-up to the tournament and they are unbeaten in 2005 (apart from a defeat by China on penalties) ahead of tonight's final friendly with the Czech Republic. The dynamism of Powell's team and their goalscoring prowess promises much for a fine showing in June but also brings an added weight of expectation – as does the fact that England are hosting the tournament.

Fierce competition
Powell is keen to emphasise the progress her talented squad has made has not happened overnight, and draws a stark contrast between the selection process for this tournament and the 2001 edition in Germany. "In 2001 the final squad of 20 picked itself," she told uefa.com. "This year, we had some very long discussions about certain players and sadly a few of them have been left bitterly disappointed at being left out.

Squad progress
"That shows the progress we have made in the last few years. The warm-up games have shown me the players who have performed at a high level consistently and those who have not. Everyone has had a chance to show their worth and we picked the squad based on those performances.

Long preparations
"To an extent this is the easy bit now - a lot of the preparation work was tougher. Doing the presentations for all this in order to prove our ambition and secure the funding for what we have already achieved was more difficult. I’m just looking forward to getting out there and kicking things off."

'Lasting legacy'
Tournament director Andrew Halstead spoke of a desire to build a lasting legacy for women’s football through the tournament, and Powell’s bold selection promises to provide crucial experience to the stars of England’s future. The 17-year-old Karen Carney had not represented the senior England team until February, but her outstanding displays have seen her picked ahead of more experienced names such as Sue Smith and Rachel McArthur.

Good mix
"I’ve got a good mix of experience, youth and a lot of talent," said Powell. "The younger players have experienced tournament football at Under-19 and U21 levels and they also showed at the Algarve Cup that they can cope at the highest level."

Modest role
Despite all the progress the squad have made under her control, Powell is keen to play down her own role and importance in the set-up, saying: "It’s not about me. I’m the one who has to make these decisions but it’s about the team, the squad and also about the future of the wider game in England."

Winning mentality
Powell was very clear when asked what seemed an obvious question – what will help England to do well in the tournament? "Winning the games," she said. "It is our job to get out of the group and take it from there. We have spent time looking at our opponents but also plenty of energy focusing on our own strengths. Both are equally important."

Staying calm
Powell is not prepared to make bold claims about England's chances, but it is plain for all to see the massive strides the English have made in the seven years since Powell took the reins. If her talented players perform to their limits in June, they might just achieve something very special.