Brent Hills calls up Carter and Dowie
Brent Hills has handed Arsenal forward Danielle Carter her first call-up to the England Women’s senior team for the World Cup qualifying double-header against Belarus and Turkey.
Fratton Park will host the Turkey clash on Thursday, September 26 (7.05pm kick-off). Click here for ticket information.
Twenty-year-old Carter has been in fine form in The FA WSL, netting six goals in 11 games for the Gunners.
She has represented her country at an under-17 and under-20 World Cup and scored 12 goals in 39 youth internationals.
Also included among Hills’ 22 is Liverpool’s Natasha Dowie – the current top scorer in the WSL with 10 goals. The striker will be hoping to add to her three England caps, the last of which came against Serbia in September 2011.
Hills said: “I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen from those two this season. I know them from the Under-23s, I’ve spoken to their club managers and I feel that they’ve made a strong case to be included.”
The majority of the squad travelled to the Euros in Sweden this summer, but there is no place for Kelly Smith, who has been ruled out with a calf injury.
Hills, the Under-23 head coach and formerly assistant manager to Hope Powell, will take charge of the opening two qualifiers as England set out on the road to Canada 2015.
He added: “We all realise we underperformed severely in the summer, but you don’t become a bad player overnight.
“This is a chance for the players to show they can bounce back. Talent always rebounds. The Euros are done and dusted now.
“We’ve already analysed it as staff and players and I don’t think we should spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on it. We need to move on and get these qualifiers off to a winning start.”
Wales, Ukraine and Montenegro complete Group Six.
England squad
Goalkeepers
Karen Bardsley (Lincoln Ladies), Rachel Brown-Finnis (Everton), Siobhan Chamberlain (Bristol Academy)
Defenders
Gemma Bonner (Liverpool), Sophie Bradley (Lincoln Ladies), Lucy Bronze (Liverpool), Steph Houghton (Arsenal), Alex Scott (Arsenal), Casey Stoney (Lincoln Ladies)
Midfielders
Anita Asante (Gothenburg), Jade Moore (Birmingham City), Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal), Jill Scott (Everton), Fara Williams (Liverpool)
Wide Players
Eniola Aluko (Chelsea), Karen Carney (Birmingham City), Danielle Carter (Arsenal), Jess Clarke (Lincoln Ladies), Rachel Yankey (Arsenal)
Forwards
Natasha Dowie (Liverpool), Toni Duggan (Everton), Ellen White (Arsenal)