Everton midfielder Clare Wheeler says that the Merseyside club is the perfect place for her to be as she continues to push for a place in the Australian squad for this summer’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Wheeler joined The Blue Girls on loan from Danish club Fortuna Hjørring at the start of the season but she made the deal permanent last month, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract at Walton Hall Park.
The midfielder has found starts hard to come by at Everton so far, however, she feels that the high level of competition for places will only help improve her game ahead of Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson’s final squad selection for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 in the summer.
“Going from Sydney FC to Denmark, I was able to play a lot of minutes and now going to Everton, I am really having to fight every week for minutes which is what the national team is like,” Wheeler said when speaking in a Football Australia media session. “It is very performance-based and it is a very competitive environment. That’s what I need to be able to deal with and have the confidence and mentality to keep going.
“For me personally, Everton is exactly where I need to be. When I do get the minutes, it is playing in a league that is incredibly competitive. Anyone can beat anyone on the day and that’s the kind of league that I want to be in.”
After spending seven years with Newcastle Jets between 2013 and 2020, Wheeler has played for three different clubs in the last three years. The midfielder is pleased to have finally got some stability back by completing her permanent move to Everton.
She said “Having a longer contract can put anyone at ease. The last two years have been crazy, this is my third different club, so I’m happy to continue my time at Everton.
“I’m obviously going to try and take the next step in this environment and actually put some roots down and get comfortable and competitive in this league.”
Wheeler has linked-up with her national team for the 2023 Cup of Nations. Australia will face Czechia, Spain and Jamaica during the current international window with the tournament starting in the early hours of Thursday morning.
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