'There's a massive step up' - Anna Patten loving life in greeen

Anna Patten has been operating at the top end of the game for a long time now, having come through the Arsenal academy and then moving to Aston Villa in the Women's Super League.

But the 25-year-old defender admits nothing really prepared her for playing with the Republic of Ireland against the best nations in the world.

Patten received her international clearance back in April, requiring a change of association as she had represented England up to Under-21 level.

Eileen Gleeson had no doubts about her calibre, and started Patten in the Euro 2025 qualifier against France in Metz just four days after her eligibility had been rubber-stamped.

She did well in a 1-0 defeat, but admits now it was a headache-inducing experience, the highest test of nerve and skill she’d ever encountered.

"The intensity of international football, I don’t think you can compare it to the league," Patten said ahead of Friday’s Euro 2025 play-off semi-final against Georgia in Tbilisi.

"It’s also that kind of emotion of an international game that you probably don’t feel playing week in week out in the league. There’s something so special about that heightened emotion, but it is also something that you’ve got to learn to manage.

"There is a massive step up. That’s what it’s all about. I want to be playing at the highest level and being in Group A and playing against those top opponents.

"You do have really large spells without the ball and that’s when you really need to remain focused. I think I came out of the majority of those games with a headache from just having to follow the ball, checking your surroundings, knowing all the different runs.

"They’re such smart players and you don’t know what they’re going to do. You can’t switch off at any moment. There