Sue Smith picks her England Women's team of the decade
Monday 30 December 2019 15:36, UK
With 93 international caps, Sue Smith picked out her England Women's team of the decade from a talented crop of players.
The former forward played for Tranmere Rovers, Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers Belles, and was one of the first players to be given a central contract by the Football Association in May 2009.
Having scored 16 goals in her international career, Sky Sports pundit Smith has picked her best England Women XI from the last 10 years...
Karen Bardsley is my goalkeeper. She had to fight for the No 1 shirt once she got it and when she is fit, she will start! She is the ultimate professional who works so hard, an athlete, a presence and great communicator
Rachel Unitt is a main stay at full-back and earned over 100 England caps. She can read the game so well, she is great on the ball and has an excellent left foot. She is a creative as well as a tough defender.
At centre-back, it has to be Steph Houghton. She is the England captain now and it is well deserved. She is a great person on and off the field, she works so hard, is brave, focused, a great leader and has scored some big goals for club and country. She is joined by a former England captain, Faye White. She is a real leader on the field, a great role model, brave, fearless - she once played in the World Cup with a mask on after breaking her nose - a big tackler and good in the air.
The world's best right-back, Lucy Bronze, has to get in. She suffered with injury early on in her career but she has been flying ever since. A real athlete who is a big game player.
Jill Scott has over 100 caps and is the main stay in the central areas. She is an athlete who can go box-to-box and works so hard. She has great feet and is a brilliant character to have in and around the dressing room. Alongside her is Fara Williams, and being the most capped England player says it all! She is technically very gifted, has a great range of passes with great vision and awareness.
Kelly Smith is England's all-time best player in my opinion. She could win a game on her own, she has great skill and scored some wonderful goals in her career. She also has great vision and awareness of the players around her.
Ellen White showed just what a good player she is in the recent World Cup in France. She is a clinical finisher, a top professional and works very hard. Jodie Taylor has played all over the world and has shown her quality over and over against. She is a great, clinical finisher, makes excellent runs off the ball and had a great World Cup in Canada four years ago.
Karen Carney could play up front or in midfield and also has over 100 caps for her country. Technically, she is another very gifted footballer with excellent vision and awareness. She can finish good set pieces and only retired in July.
