Merricks: International break won't affect team's momentum

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Albion have 11 players on international duty in the next few days.

Bruce Talbot

2022-11-08T05:00:00Z

Amy Merricks high fives Meg Walsh after the 5-4 win at West Ham.

Interim head coach Amy Merricks doesn’t believe that the forthcoming international break will affect the momentum Albion are building after they returned to winning ways in the Women's Super League on Sunday.

Eleven players including Katie Robinson, who is linking up with the England senior squad for the first time, will be with their countries over the next ten days. Several nations are playing important friendlies as part of their preparations for the World Cup next summer.

Among Albion’s internationals are Vea Sarri, Elisabeth Terland and Jorja Fox, who all scored their first Albion goals in Sunday’s 5-4 win over West Ham United.

“It doesn’t need to stop momentum, they can continue that by doing well in the international break,” said Merricks. “And the ones who are staying behind can continue to work as a group here. There will be some time to regroup and rest but there’s no need for it to stop momentum.”

Robinson is heading to Spain with the Lionesses as the European champions face Japan on Friday and Norway on November 15. Fox and Poppy Pattinson are in the under-23s for games against Netherlands at Walsall on Thursday and Italy in Rome next Monday.

The Republic of Ireland, who have qualified for their first World Cup, have named Albion goalkeeper Megan Walsh in their squad for a friendly against Morocco in Spain next Monday.

Kayleigh Green’s Wales are also in Marbella for a friendly against Finland on November 16 while Sarri has linked up with the Greece squad for two games against Cyprus in Athens.

Terland’s Norway also face France as well as England in the Pinitar Cup as they continue their preparations for next year’s finals.

Swedish pair Emma Kullberg and Julia Zigiotti have made the long trip to Melbourne for Sweden’s friendly against Australia on Saturday while South Koreans Geummin Lee and Yeeun Park have travelled even further for two games against New Zealand in Auckland and Christchurch.

Girls' Academy players Jess Pegram and Silvana Marshall Miranda were in the England under-16 squad which played Wales in a friendly on Tuesday.