14 February 2023 , 17:58
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Man City midfielder Laura Coombs has said she was "surprised" to get an England recall after over seven years spent in international exile.
Coombs, 32, won both of her previous caps in October 2015, last turning out for the Lionesses in a win over Australia under Mark Sampson. But Sarina Wiegman has brought her back into the fold ahead of the 2023 Arnold Clark Cup, with Coombs rewarded for a strong run of form at club level with Man City.
England begin their defence of the tournament they won last year when they face South Korea in Milton Keynes on Thursday, with games against Italy and Belgium to follow. Coombs will be hoping to add to her two caps over the next week but admitted she was in shock to hear she had received a call-up last week.
"It feels really good to be wearing the Three Lions again," she said. "Obviously I know a lot of the girls so I'm not super out of my comfort zone, but it is great to be back in this new environment. I just wasn't expecting it.
"I was surprised because it has just been so long (since last playing for England) I was actually thinking I was going to get a break over the international window! It was a shock, but now I'm here I'm really keen to get down to work.
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"It's not that I ever gave up. In my early years, this was all I wanted. But when you don't get selected, at some point you have to park it and just focus on club football.
"Because otherwise you can be disappointed and it starts to have a negative impact. It's amazing and such an honour that I am here, but that is not what I was working towards. I'd never even been on stand-by before, so when I say it was a shock it really was."
Coombs after arriving at the England squad meet-up on Sunday (Getty Images)Coombs has been in fine form for Man City this season and was awarded the PFA fans player of the month award in December. She also signed a two-year contract extension at the WSL title chasers on the same day her England recall was confirmed, before another excellent display in the win over Arsenal last Saturday.
"I just feel real comfortable at club level," explained Coombs. "I am pushed by the people around me and the manager every day in training and I feel really valued by the team.
"You can play and train a lot better when you're in that headspace. I've been on a good roll and I just want to keep that going."
Coombs also admitted that it was strange to be one of the newbies in the England squad, whilst simultaneously being the oldest player in the current Lionesses' squad, after the retirements of Jill Scott and Ellen White last summer.
"It's weird being the oldest player here," she said. "I've never felt that in a team before. Luckily I don't feel old.
"It feels fresh around the camp, everyone is really positive and the talent is so high. I'm more of a senior player now and I do feel comfortable than I have in the past.
"It was a bit of a mad day last week (Tuesday) I didn't know either my contract or the call-up would be announced on the same day. It will be a hard day to top in the future!"
"I was actually with Bunny Shaw in the ice bath when I had the call from Sarina. So she was really happy for me and said 'I told you so'. Sarina seems really approachable, I just need to open myself up to her way of playing."
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