Rachel Corsie: Scotland captain on play-offs, table tennis & baby Innes

The start of this week felt like a psychological shift.

Aston Villa's pre-season has been completed and routine builds towards these two matches with Scotland.

Following the summer's short off-season break, getting back into training is normally my favourite time. I brutishly enjoy the conditioning and strength work that rebuilds you, and before we are recalled back into our club environments, I find the training alone helps me reset mentally and emotionally, too.

My body also appreciates being able to restore itself. The mileage over the years adds up, and a few of the niggling pains get a little more TLC.

• Baby Innes helping Scotland squad

Where we're staying in the Netherlands is relatively remote. Down time has either been spent on the patio having a coffee or on a bean bag in the designated chill-out room. During the first few days I also gave Lee Gibson a lesson at table tennis and she hasn't been keen to play since.

As has been documented already, we've got an extra special member of the squad with us on this particular trip. It's been amazing having Emma Mitchell here with her baby, and that's been something everyone in the team has loved.

It changes perspectives in the perfect moments. At meal times we get to see Innes, which lifts the mood and just brings a natural smile. She is so cute and has been unbelievably well behaved!

It's also great to have Fi Brown back. Her recovery from a knee injury has been inspirational and she shared earlier with me that this time last year she thought her entire career could be over. Just having her knock on the door looking for a chat and a cuppa has been great again.

'England's success has heightened our motivation'

We know we already have a World Cup play-off spot in the bank, which makes it extremely important to maximise everything in this camp to prepare for the crucial games that lie ahead next month.

That motivation has heightened, without doubt, by the fact many of us endured England's successes at the Euros, which we painfully missed out on due to the last disastrous qualifying campaign.

All the players will be ready and know what is required to perform. This actually might be one of the first opportunities where the squad has not been restricted by a more significant list of injuries and the manager has had virtually everyone at his disposal.

I have not played against the Netherlands for years and since our last meeting they have gone on to be one of the most successful international sides, winning the Euros in 2017 and finishing runner-up at the 2019 World Cup to the USA.

The demands to squeeze everything out of each other will be crucial in giving ourselves the best chance when we do get to that play-off, and the group of players here have already committed to that.

For me, looking ahead to these two games have helped the final few weeks of pre-season pass, and it's now time to get started.