Aston Villa’s Hannah Hampton is best keeper in the WSL says Carla Ward
Villa boss Carla Ward has hailed Hannah Hampton following her England recall and feels Lucy Staniforth is “very unfortunate” not to have been selected.
Goalkeeper Hampton was this week included in the Lionesses squad for the Finalissima meeting with Brazil and friendly against Australia, her first involvement since last summer’s triumphant Euros campaign.
Regarding her selection, England boss Sarina Wiegman said the twice-capped 22-year-old “needed to sort out some personal issues (and) has done that”, and had produced “great performances”.
And Ward told a press conference on Friday: “I’m delighted. Since the turn of the year she’s put a lot of things in place personally which have helped her, and I think she’s developed no end in these past few months.
“Her performances, I’ve said it the last couple of weeks…there’s not a better in-form keeper in the Women’s Super League right now. That’s a fact.
“She’s absolutely flying, playing some of the best football of her career, so long may that continue.”
Staniforth, holder of 17 caps, was most recently in the England squad last October. The midfielder joined Villa in January after leaving Manchester United, and Ward said: “She’s very unfortunate not to get called up.
“I think she has been absolutely brilliant since she’s come in. I wouldn’t want to comment on what Sarina is looking at but she has been absolutely brilliant for us, what a signing she has been.”
The games against Brazil at Wembley next Thursday and Australia in Brentford five days later are set to be England’s last two before Wiegman names her squad for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Ward was speaking ahead of tomorrow’s WSL clash with Chelsea at the Bescot Stadium.
The manager – whose side are unbeaten in seven league games, have won each of their last four and are fifth in the table – said the crowd for the clash with Emma Hayes’ third-placed defending champions was “set to be our biggest attendance since we’ve been in the WSL”.
Villa will also play Chelsea at the stadium in their first match after the international break, the FA Cup semi-final on April 16.
