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Georgia Stanway can force her way into England's Euro 2017 squad

By PA Sport

Wednesday 14 September 2016 19:38, UK

Georgia Stanway of England and Lisa Boussaha of France battle for the ball during the U17 friendly match between France and England on December 19 2015
Image: Georgia Stanway will concentrate on England U17 matters for now but could be part of Euro 2017 squad

England Women boss Mark Sampson is not ruling talented teenager Georgia Stanway out of his plans for Euro 2017.

The Manchester City youngster has starred for the Women's Super League leaders this season and is primed for a key role with England at the U17 World Cup, which begins in Jordan on September 30.

Stanway, 17, has not been included in the squad for England's senior internationals against Estonia, at Notts County's Meadow Lane ground on Thursday, and away to Belgium next Tuesday.

Those games wrap up Euro 2017 qualifying and, with England already assured of their place at the finals in Holland next summer, Sampson is inevitably looking at his options for the tournament.

That may partly explain why seasoned England strikers Eni Aluko and Toni Duggan are out of the picture at the moment, with Sampson assessing the quality elsewhere.

And it also means Stanway, uncapped at the top level, is in his thoughts. The teenage forward has scored six goals in 14 starts for City this term.

"The door is always open. We will always pick the best team that I believe can help England win," Sampson said.

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Mark Sampson, Head Coach of England Women during the England Women Training Session at St Georges Park
Image: Mark Sampson says a lack of experience is not a bar to being included in his senior squad

"The pool is increasing with the likes of Stanway, who's going to get a massive experience at the U17s World Cup.

"I'm really excited to see her playing for Manchester City's first team regularly, scoring goals, and now with another World Cup under her belt you look at the end of that tournament in Jordan and Stanway suddenly has some really good experience to then compete for a senior spot, potentially."

Alex Scott considers life after football
Image: Alex Scott says the European Championships could prove harder than the World Cup

Right-back Alex Scott is a veteran of three European Championships and predicts England will find the tournament even more challenging than the World Cup, where they surpassed expectations and finished third last year.

Scott said: "From my experience European Championships can be harder than World Cups.

"It's going to be even harder now because all eyes are on this England team as well, and teams will want to be the people that beat England, so it's going to be a lot harder than it was in the World Cup.

"So it's about making sure we don't go in complacent, we're all in the right mindset and we don't have any regrets."

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