Sun, bonding & learning from mistakes - Rachel Furness on NI's Spanish training camp

Liverpool and Northern Ireland midfielder Rachel Furness talks about full-time football, bonding and learning from mistakes after a 10-day training camp in Marbella as preparations continue to build ahead of April's World Cup qualifiers with Austria and England before Euro 2022 in July.

Playing football in Marbella in the sun while back home was being hit by not one but three storms - there are worse ways to spend 10 days in February.

Not to rub it in, but it was really, really hot. Almost unbearable at times, but then you take a look at photos and videos from back home and quickly realise what I'd prefer.

I'm sensible in the sun when I've got a match. I was all factored up and I think I've still got a bit of sun in my face, but it's nothing too drastic.

We can joke about the weather but obviously we were there for a reason and it was great to link back up with the rest of the girls.

There is an amazing buzz around the group at the minute with the full-time set-up. I'm playing with a lot of confidence after being on a real high with Liverpool, and then when I'm with the girls that raises again.

Having the difficulties of coming back from a broken leg at the start of the year, I really feel like I'm finding my form again.

I'm enjoying my football as always, but the past couple of months have been really positive with my club and that means you go straight into the international window on a high.

Rachel Furness in action against Romania's Andrea Herczeg during NI's 1-0 defeat in Marbella on Wednesday

A lot has been made of the 22 players in the full-time training programme back in Northern Ireland and you could immediately see the difference between November and now.

We've always been professional as a group, but you can really see impact of being full-time on and off the pitch. In terms of recovery, rehab and even gym work - it's all been taken to another level and you can see the benefits already.

In Spain you could see straight away that all the girls got on with what they needed to off the pitch, which is now the norm and that is fantastic to see.

They have taken the next step in maintaining that professionalism, they aren't just jumping in and out of it and you can see they are really grabbing this full-time opportunity.

The girls are only six weeks in but you can already see a massive difference. They are sharper and you can see them thinking quicker, but ultimately the girls need game time and that is why the camp has been really beneficial.

The girls are like massive sponges, the improvements are coming and that is on top of the development that has already been there.

Three games a learning experience

We faced three really tricky tests against three very different teams.

First up, it was the Faroe Islands and we got off to a winning start. We were probably favourites given we had beaten them in qualifying for the Euros, but they gave us a good game.

I think that was the hottest of the three games. It was blistering, and I think the heat did impact the balance of play at times.

We were very professional in our performance, and ultimately we ran out 3-1 winners, but the big thing for me was the amount of changes we made didn't disrupt us too much.

We got every single person on the pitch and we still came away with a win, but it was a very disciplined performance and I think it was a great outing for the whole squad.

I also have to give a special mention to Sarah McFadden on her goal, it had been a long time coming. It was good to see her and Cristiano Ronaldo end their goal droughts in the space of a few days!

She is such a fantastic team player. I almost think she would rather a sliding tackle on the line to prevent a goal. Either way I think my goal record is safe for now, sorry Mac!

How times change

We suffocated Switzerland at times in our second game and we gave a fantastic account of ourselves. It says a lot when we were disappointed with a 2-2 draw against a team ranked 29 places above us.

The last time I played Switzerland in 2015 we got beaten 8-1, and you look at the first half in Marbella and we could have been three or four up.

Yes, we made a couple of mistakes after the restart but if you are going to make them you would rather they happened in friendly games.

Kenny has said that from day one, to get better it is ok to make mistakes. We need to be brave and stick to our identity.

It was a crazy 10 minutes where we went behind, but we showed great character to get back in the game and we showed togetherness and fight to come back.

Furness was part of the NI team which drew 2-2 with Switzerland on 20 February

We respected Switzerland and I think they respected us. Last time we played I couldn't get close to them, and in Spain their manager was telling them not to panic because we were first into every tackle and putting our bodies on the line. I think that shows we are doing something right.

I think a whole group we take so much out of that Switzerland game, good and bad because of the mistakes, but ultimately that will drive us on going forward.

Against Romania we conceded a poor goal for our standard. If we faced that corner 10 times over again we wouldn't have conceded.

We still created chances. Romania were a tough test and I hate losing, but we learn more in defeat and we can always improve. We aren't leaving Spain disheartened at all.

Onwards to April

I think if we had won all three games we could have got carried away, but, yes we played well, but we have so much to learn and grow going into April.

We have left camp more hungry and more determined. It was great to get away for 10 days and come together. It was great to have that chance to speak to some of the home-based girls to see how they were getting on.

Sometimes in the heat of an important qualifier you don't get those moments, so to have a relaxed 10 minutes with some players you might not normally get the chance to have an in-depth chat with, that can only bring us all closer together.

Sam Kelly celebrates scoring in NI's 3-1 win over the Faroe Islands in Marbella

We had plenty of laughs at the dinner table, we played pool and card games and walked on the beach, so it was a great 10 days to bond with the squad. That creates a bond that, when the time comes, we will take across that white line together.

We are doing everything we can, both on and off the pitch, to get ready for these two massive games in April.

England at the National Stadium at Windsor Park is in the background, but we will be fully focused on Austria and I know the coaching staff have already put plans in place about how we are going to approach those games.

I think that is why those games were so important because it gives us more time to prepare. We know some things work, some things don't.

I'm buzzing for April already and I hope it is a really successful camp ahead of the summer.

Rachel Furness was speaking to BBC Sport's Andy Gray.