Marley takes control

Former England women's captain Mo Marley

By BBC Sport Online's Tony Leighton

Former England women's football team captain Mo Marley has taken up her new role as head coach of the national Under-19 team.

She takes over in time to oversee the squad at this week's final qualifying tournament, for the Uefa Women's Under-19 Championships finals.

Marley, who is still skipper of Women's Premier League team Everton, has travelled with the 18-player squad to Denmark.

England take-on the host nation on Thursday, Iceland two days later, and the Czech Republic next Monday.

At least half a dozen players are still with us, and the new girls coming up from the younger age group are a talented bunch

Mo Marley

The winners of the tournament will qualify automatically for next May's finals, which are being held in Sweden, while the best three tournament runners-up will also qualify.

England failed to qualify for last year's finals on goal difference.

"We are aiming to go one better this time after the bitter disappointment everybody felt last season," said Marley.

"We've lost a number of well-established girls from that squad, so this year's team will be comparatively inexperienced.

"Our hardest match will probably be the first one, but if we can beat Denmark it will be a great confidence booster and really set the girls up for the rest of the tournament.

"Iceland will probably be a tougher team to beat than the Czech Republic, but at this age-level it's not easy to get a great deal of information on teams so we shall be taking nothing for granted in any of our matches.

"The work we've done with the girls over the last few weeks has gone very well indeed, though, and I'm quietly confident that we can put ourselves into the finals," she added.

England Under-19 squad:
Laura Bassett (Birmingham City),
Leanne Champ (Arsenal),
Shelly Cox (Southampton Saints),
Faye Dunn (Tranmere Rovers),
Michelle Hickmott (Birmingham City),
Laura Humphries (Doncaster Belles),
Sophie Krivinskas (Everton),
Ellen Maggs (Arsenal),
Kelly McDougall (Everton),
Deena Rahman (Fulham),
Lisa Richmond (Portsmouth),
Julie Spearink (IPDC),
Sheuneen Ta (Arsenal),
Katy Ward (Birmingham City),
Toni-Anne Wayne (Barnet),
Fara Williams (Charlton Athletic),
Jessica Wright (Barnet),
Corinne Yorston (Southampton Saints).

Qualifying Groups:

Group 1:
Italy, France, Switzerland, Poland.
Group 2:
Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Scotland.
Gorup 3:
Denmark, England, Czech Republic, Iceland.
Group 4:
Norway, Spain, Belgium, Yugoslavia.