Karen Carney
Footballer Karen Carney was 18 when she became the youngest woman to debut in the England team for more than six years and now having just turned 20 she's preparing to head to China for the Women's Football World Cup proving that the sport is definitely no longer a man's game.International forward and Puma player Karen is described as a 'super sub' by coach Hope Powell and has a natural ability on the ball and plenty of tricks up her sleeve to get past even the toughest marker.She was voted the Nationwide Young Player of the Year in 2005 and is sure to wow fans even more as she heads to what promises to be a nail-biting World Cup.Karen took some time out from packing for China to talk to Female First about her love of the game and her hopes for the future of women's football.How are you feeling about the World Cup in China?
I'm excited. Just packing at the moment because we leave tomorrow. I think I'll be more excited when I get there and get over the jet lag.What do you think the team's chances are?
I think we have a pretty good chance. We've got a good team at the moment and we're going over there optimistic. We have Japan in our first match and they're a good team and Germany and Sweden are obviously going to be big opponents too.Do you think it's getting any easier for women to get into football?
Well it keeps getting bigger and bigger which is fantastic. It just needs to keep going really. We need more support at the higher level so the younger girls can follow through and go all the way to the top. But it is getting easier and hopefully it will continue to get bigger and better.
How did you first get into football?
Just playing with the lads in school really and having a kick around and I ended up at a Sunday club just for girls and there was only about 15- 20 girls there and I just moved onto a club from there. Then I moved onto a club at county level then centre of excellences and it just went on from there really.
Did you have any problems along the way making a career from football?
Well we're only semi-pro at the moment- but not particularly really. I was just there at the right time so not particularly any problems. It was all good for me and I think I've been very fortunate in the way I've come along the track really.
And what do you think needs to be done to encourage more girls into football?
I think obviously the media need to help promote the game and make it bigger so the younger girls have women role models to look up to and try and aspire to instead of just male footballers. And they need to make the game bigger and give it the respect that it deserves.
Do you think there will be a time in the near future where women's football will be as big as men's football?
I don't think in this country it will ever be as big as the men's but as long as it's still growing then that's good for the women's game. The men's game is so big and has so much money it's a business and in theory we're not gonna beat a man's business but as long as the women's game is rising- and it's on the rise at the moment then that's good enough for us.
Do you follow any men's England team at all?
Yes of course I support England- and I follow Birmingham- I am an avid football fan and obviously I have a connection with Arsenal so I like to watch them too. I think anyone who is English follows the men's team and wants them to do well and I'm an avid follower of any football really.
And how do you think the men's team are going to cope without Wayne Rooney over the next few months?
Well they've got a lot of good players. Obviously he brings a lot to the team but there re other players who can play too. And as long as he's back soon they will be ok. But it's not just Rooney who is injured. There are about 12 or 13 top players who can't play. They might struggle but it might also give the younger players the opportunity to come in and show what they're about and that might work in England's favour for this month. And then they will just have to wait for the big stars to come back and they can follow up and take them team through to the final hopefully.
Are there any women coming through the lower levels at the moment who we should be watching out for?
Yes there's a striker called Ellen White, a few defenders Sophie Bradley and Fern Wheelan- there's a lot of good players who have just come back from the under 19s European finals, where they came second so there are a lot of players who will come through in the next 3 years that can make it
Caz Moss- Female First
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