CALUM Wands has challenged the county’s aspiring female footballers to demonstrate they can cut the mustard on the women’s representative stage, just as the current crop of talented performers are doing, writes Simon Parkinson.

While the squad continues to bask in the afterglow of last season’s South & West Counties Championship title glory and recent regional inter-county tournament success at Oaklands Park, Wands and his co-manager Steve Lilley continue to keep a keen eye out for potential additional call-ups to Gloucestershire FA’s ambitious ranks.

He insisted in an interview with GFA Local Football News: “We do have a squad at this time of roughly 17 or 18 players to take into the new season but we’re certainly not a closed shop when it comes to further recruitment.

“You never know when players might have to cry off through injury or illness, or something else renders them unavailable, so it’s good as managers and coaches to know where to go to for late call-ups.

“We’re always open to good recommendations from not only the clubs but from our own rep players too and of course we make good use of our own contacts. If you can prove you’re good and willing enough then it’s very much open to all.

“It goes without saying this level of football isn’t all about having fun although that’s very much a part of it. We want the top county players, the ones with the best attributes and attitudes, and all the girls we have with us at the moment have that in abundance

“They turn up to training enthusiastically and on time and they look after themselves when they’re not with us. It all makes for a happy and successful camp but we’re always looking to build and improve.”

Wands reflected: “Last year was one of our most successful seasons ever from a women’s football perspective and it was the way we went about it too that so impressed Steve and me. It was also the first time Gloucestershire had won the league so to achieve a double was quite something.

“We went into our final game against Devon, who like us had won all their games, needing a win at home to clinch the championship.

“It could have been a real nail-biter in a proper winner-takes-all scenario but our girls showed just what a single-minded bunch they are by going on to win it 11-0. We completely over-ran them with a focused and determined display.

“The way we approach our football is something Steve and I take extremely seriously. We’re both coaches and we adopt a real playing and coaching philosophy to our game. It’s about giving the players something to work for; we want to give them an identity and focus.

“The girls turn up to learn, both for their games and their training sessions, and we work hard on the different roles – upfront, midfield and defence – so everyone knows their jobs.”