Bethany England belongs in World Cup squad, says Tottenham’s Vicky Jepson

The professionalism of Tottenham’s six-goal January recruit was praised by the club’s interim boss

Tottenham interim manager Vicky Jepson, right, has backed Bethany England to make the Lionesses’ World Cup squad (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

Tottenham Hotspur forward Bethany England has been told not to give up on her dream of representing England at this summer’s World Cup.

Lionesses’ boss Sarina Wiegman named a 25-player group on Tuesday for next month’s Finalissima against Brazil and the friendly with Australia.

It is the last camp before the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand this summer and despite striker England’s strong form since a January move from Chelsea, she again missed out.

Spurs’ interim head coach Vicky Jepson, speaking ahead of Sunday’s trip to Everton, said: “Beth will never stop wanting to get into that squad. She is hungry and she is hungry every day when she comes into our training ground.

“Yeah, she will be respectful of the decision but she will work tirelessly hard to put herself in a good position.

“We’ve seen her score at the weekend (against Arsenal) from a penalty but I am sure we will see more goals in our next six games and hopefully she does enough to showcase she deserves that (England) shirt.”

England left Women’s Super League title hopefuls Chelsea in January in order to increase her chances of making the World Cup squad.

The 28-year-old has not featured for her country since September and has been left out of four consecutive international camps, but has a strong goalscoring record of 11 goals in 21 appearances for the Lionesses.

After struggling for minutes during the first half of the season, England has flourished at Tottenham and scored five times to boost their relegation battle.

“Beth is an ultra professional and it hasn’t affected her,” Jepson insisted.

“She has turned up, still been professional and still been smiling, still sat with the group, had breakfast the same and turned up and worked 100 per cent on the grass.

I do know you don't become the second highest WSL goalscorer by luck, you get it because you earn it for being a clinical finisher.

Vicky Jepson on Bethany England

“No, on the outside it hasn’t affected her at all the way she has turned up to Hotspur Way to train.

“It is obviously disappointing to see her left out of the squad but I do know Sarina has a difficult task with the amount of forwards she has to choose from.

“I do know you don’t become the second highest WSL goalscorer by luck, you get it because you earn it for being a clinical finisher.

“If I have to reflect on the goal she scored against Leicester, we were under a significant amount of pressure because that was a six-pointer and it could be the difference between us staying up or going down and the way she took that single-handily, to score that outstanding goal, shows she can score in pressure moments when the stakes are high in any team.

“So, would I want to see her to go to the World Cup to represent our Lionesses to score in big moments like that? Absolutely and I believe she can.

“But I am respectful and understand Sarina has a job to do and a lot of forwards to pick from but for me, I would not be leaving Bethany out of the England squad going into that World Cup.”