By Rachel Steinberg — A new era for the underperforming Lionesses begins now, insists Leah Williamson.
The Arsenal defender will wear the captain’s armband on Thursday as England take on Olympic champions Canada in their first of three matches in the inaugural Arnold Clark Cup.
And she believes the combination of stability under new head coach Sarina Wiegman and unprecedented tenacity in camp has led to a transformed squad.
“The dynamic of the team has changed,” said Williamson, whose side will kick off the tournament at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium.
“I think we’ve realised ultimately we’ve potentially underachieved the last few tournaments and I think everybody wants to turn that around, so it’s more of a collective push to reach the next standard which is bringing out the best in everybody.
“I think this is some of the most competitive training I’ve been involved in for a long time here, and the fight for positions, the fight to reach your potential, it’s all sort of tying in nicely.
How to watch
- Date: Thursday 17 February
- Kick off: 7.30pm
- TV Channel: ITV 4
- Live stream: ITV Hub
“And then obviously this week we get an opportunity to learn more about ourselves which is a gift, really.”
All three of world No 8 England’s opponents in this tournament are top 10 teams, with Canada sitting at No 6, Spain No 9 and third-placed Germany their top-ranked challengers.
The Lionesses have fallen well short of their potential against elite competition in recent years, especially in tournaments, so the cup will provide a critical barometer ahead of this summer’s home Euros, which begin 6 July.
England last faced Canada in an April 2021 friendly, losing 2-0 under then-interim manager Hege Riise, who stepped in after Phil Neville quit last January. Wiegman took the reins in September.
Canada, meanwhile, have benefitted from far more consistency in the form of Bev Priestman, Neville’s former right-hand woman, who crossed the pond in 2020 and guided them to gold.
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But the Canadians will notably miss talismanic captain Christine Sinclair, football’s all-time international goal-scorer, whose mother passed away earlier this month after a 40-year battle with Multiple Sclerosis.
Wiegman, meanwhile, will have Manchester City duo Ellie Roebuck and Lucy Bronze back at her disposal, both returning from injury, and suggested she will test different combinations throughout the Cup.
She said: “We have this tournament which we really need to know where we are at and what we need to do to become better as individuals and as a team.
“And then hopefully, well, I’m convinced, that we’re ready on July 6.”
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