England coach Sarina Wiegman laughed off suggestions of a “crisis” in the camp ahead of the Women's European Championship title defense after a chaotic week when key, experienced players pulled out of selection for the tournament.
Star defender Millie Bright declared herself unavailable for the Euros, saying she was not “100% mentally or physically,” while goalkeeper Mary Earps and midfielder Fran Kirby retired from international soccer. All three were in England's title-winning team at Euro 2022.
It robs Wiegman of 218 caps worth of experience for next month's tournament in Switzerland, and has led to talk of possible unhappiness in the squad and questions over whether the Dutch coach's lines of communication had come across as too strong or blunt.
Wiegman rejected those accusations in a news conference held after her 23-women squad — containing injury doubt Lauren James — was announced on Thursday.
“For me, it doesn't feel like a crisis at all,” Wiegman said after tough questions at which she occasionally laughed.
She attributed some of the scrutiny — or “noise,” as she put it — around squad issues down to the extra eyeballs on the women's game that is growing year on year.
“The difference between 2017, when I went into my first tournament (as Netherlands coach), and now is the attention and the visibility of the women's game has increased so much,” Wiegman said. "So there's more noise and there's more journalists here who write and show what we are doing.
“We just have to deal with it and focus on football.”
Wiegman insisted there was a good energy and connection between players in the team and that she was “pretty happy where we are right now.”
“We know what’s happening in the team and I think there's competition going on in the team — and I hope there's competition going on in the team."
Bright, England's captain at the 2023 World Cup when the team reached the final, underwent knee surgery on Thursday. Her club Chelsea described the procedure as “minor” and Bright wrote “successful op” on her Instagram account.
Bright had earlier said she doesn't believe she is in the right frame of mind or physical state to play in a major tournament.
She said in her podcast with England teammate Rachel Daly, released on Thursday, that she was making the "best decision for the team but also for myself" and would use the summer to mentally and physically get herself “back in tip-top condition and just happy again, I think, all round.”
Earps, another strong character in the England locker room, announced her international retirement last week after falling behind Hannah Hampton in the goalkeeper pecking order for her country.
Kirby, meanwhile, said she was planning to retire from England duty after the Euros but brought that forward after discovering she wouldn’t be in Wiegman’s squad.
“I knew it was the moment where I’d outstayed my welcome,” she posted on Instagram.
Wiegman said she believes it was important to be “honest” and “treat people in the right way.”
“Sometimes you have good news, sometimes you don't have good news,” Wiegman said. “I didn't beat around the bush with that — I just give that message. I can't control how people respond to that.”
James hasn't played for two months
James, the Chelsea forward, injured a hamstring against Belgium on April 4 and hasn't played for club or country since.
She was the biggest doubt ahead of Wiegman’s squad selection but was included among the attacking options that also featured Michelle Agyemang. She is a highly rated 19-year-old forward who has played once for England — scoring after 41 seconds.
England at the Euros
England is in a group with France, the Netherlands and Wales.
The first game of the title defense is against the French on July 5.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Steve Douglas, The Associated Press
