Sampson backed over pick-and-mix policy

Women’s World Cup semi-final Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton Midnight BST, live on BBC 1 & Radio 5 live MIDFIELDER Fara Williams has backed tinkerman boss Mark Sampson to steer England into the Women’s World Cup final.

A thrilling campaign for England can reach a historic climax with glory in Vancouver on Sunday night, but first they must handle reigning world champions Japan in their Edmonton semi-final tonight.

Manager Sampson, a 32-yearold Welshman plucked from Bristol Academy in late 2013 to succeed long-serving Hope Powell, promised before the tournament he would shuffle his teams to counter England’s opposition and has been as good as his word.

Williams, 31, who has stretched her record haul to 145 caps during England’s run, is one of just three players to have started every game, alongside captain Steph Houghton and goalkeeper Karen Bardsley.

Sampson’s mix-and-match approach would have faced intense scrutiny if England had bowed out early, but the former Swansea academy chief has had a Midas touch.

“We met up as a squad of 35 in a hotel after Christmas and Mark sat down with the whole squad and told us the whole selection process,” said Williams.

“He told us how he was looking to select the team come the World Cup. We knew the route we could potentially be taking.

“Mark’s known his teams for each of the games and he told everybody he was going to pick teams that he felt would best suit the opposition, and he’s done that fantastically well.

“The whole team has bought into what he’s been doing and we’re continuing to build momentum. While he’s getting the results, we’re not complaining.”

Sampson announced his team to face Japan in a squad meeting on Monday, which for England was a “classroom” day, spent away from the training pitch and learning about the opposition.

“They’re world champions so we’ve got to remember that,” Williams said. “You don’t become world champions through luck. We have to respect what they achieved four years ago, but not show too much respect.”

Bright news for England is that Karen Bardsley will be fit to face Japan, having been substituted during the quarter-final win over Canada due to an apparent allergic reaction that caused her right eye to swell.