Keira Walsh gives verdict on potential of fourth straight tournament
Keira Walsh isn't concerned about the potential of playing a fourth consecutive major tournament next summer.
Walsh, 26, instead insists she "feels fresh" after recovering from a knee injury that saw her miss the start of the season with her club Barcelona.
Scheduling concerns and player workload has been a big issue in the women's game over recent years, particularly prevalent with a disproportionate amount of elite players suffering ACL injuries. Walsh has not had a summer off since 2020, playing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, before European Championships and the World Cup finals in following summers.
If the midfielder is to feature again for Team GB at the Paris Games next summer, England must reach the final of the Nations League, or finish third if Olympic hosts France are in the final, to qualify. To have any chance of doing so, the Lionesses need to beat both Netherlands and Scotland over the next week and top their group.
And while some players may secretly be pleased at the prospect of a rest next summer, Walsh is determined to reach the Olympics. The Barcelona playmaker joked that the prospect of turning out for Team GB is much more appealing than a long pre-season.
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"After so many tournaments, and somebody actually sent me a thing the other day that I’d played the second-most games in Europe, I think naturally that’s going to take a toll on your body," said Walsh. "I think obviously that’s potentially a factor of why I got injured at the start of the season.
"But I did my rehab, the club and England have looked after me, we’ve had a camp since then and a lot of games in between. I’m feeling good, I’m feeling fresh, and I think that was my little break for me to now go again and push on this season.
"Honestly, the thought of pre-season is worse! I’d rather go to a tournament. It’s special. People talk about the winning, but just the feeling of being part of a team for so long, and you spend every day with each other. Even off the pitch it’s a special feeling to be part of a group at a tournament."
Sarina Wiegman’s side are currently third, three points behind the Netherlands, 2-1 victors against them in September, and one behind Belgium, who last month they beat 1-0, but were then were defeated by 3-2 in the reverse game.
Walsh returned for that game alongside Georgia Stanway and the pair are expected to start again in the engine room when the Lionesses host the Netherlands at Wembley on Friday. England need to win to remain in contention to top the group, before then taking on Scotland at Hampden Park four days later.
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Walsh added: "I think obviously we want to put the things right that weren’t so good in the Belgium game, and it’s going to be a difficult game for us. We know it’s a must-win.
"But I’m hoping we can show the resilient side to us and the character, and put in a good performance. I think (in the second match against Belgium) it was maybe just a slight lack of concentration at times. But let’s not catastrophise it, it wasn’t the worst game in the world for us."
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