Three Lionesses have withdrawn their names from this summer’s Euros hat, leaving Sarina Wiegman facing a mounting crisis.
Less than 24 hours after Fran Kirby announced her retirement from international football following England’s 2-1 defeat to Spain, centre-back Millie Bright has also made herself unavailable for selection.
Bright – who captained England during the 2023 World Cup campaign – said she was ‘right now not able to give 100 per cent mentally or physically’ for England’s title defence in Switzerland. She follows Earps, who had fallen down Wiegman’s pecking order and was likely to be starting from the bench, and Kirby, who had been told by the Dutch coach she wasn’t going to make the Euros squad, out of the door.
But this is not simply a crisis of who’s left to start the games. Wiegman was clearly already heading in a different direction, prompting Kirby and Earps to call it a day.
Bright will be more sorely missed in that respect, as she was destined to partner Leah Williamson at the heart of the Lionesses’ defence this summer. However, there is a more-than-able deputy in Alex Greenwood, who can easily slot into the back three alongside Williamson and Jess Carter.
What now threatens to shatter the nation’s hopes of a second consecutive major European title is who is there to pick up the pieces if injury rules out another player.
Millie Bright became the third England player to make themselves unavailable for selection
Fran Kirby and Mary Earps have ended their international careers in the past two weeks
England boss Sarina Wiegman is facing a mounting crisis ahead of their Euros title defence
Wiegman refused to answer whether she asked Kirby to be on standby for the Euros, citing the question ‘irrelevant’, but surely having someone of the Brighton forward’s stature around, with 77 caps to her name and four major tournament appearances, is relevant – and better than throwing an uncapped player in at the deep end?
Over the years, Wiegman has become increasingly dependent on a small inner circle of trusted players – particularly veterans like Lucy Bronze, Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway. Given they have 65 major trophies between them, that is understandable. And in Tuesday night’s clash with Spain, Wiegman fielded a side that, with just four changes, closely resembled the one that contested the World Cup final in Sydney nearly two years ago.
There is nothing inherently wrong with consistency. But what happens when that dependable core begins to fray? Right now, it appears there isn’t a Plan B. Wiegman has been reluctant to refresh her ranks since taking charge, and that is proving increasingly worrying – not only for the short-term aims of England’s title defence this summer, but also for the long-term health of the squad.
Walsh’s knee injury in the group stage of the World Cup and the subsequent panic should have been a warning sign. England rallied then, but it was a glimpse into a squad overly dependent on certain individuals. Yet since that final, Walsh has played more minutes than any other Lioness. And with the current set of players, there is no natural defensive midfielder ready to deputise should she fall again.
There are further gaps in experience all over the pitch. In the goalkeeping department, Hannah Hampton is now the only capped shot-stopper in the squad. Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, is the only recognised right-back. Wiegman has suggested she sees Maya Le Tissier providing cover there, and yet the Manchester United captain has almost exclusively played as a centre-back since her top-flight debut six-and-a-half years ago.
Keira Walsh is among the experienced core of players Wiegman has become dependent upon
Earps retirement leaves Hannah Hampton as the only capped goalkeeper in the England squad
Missy-Bo Kearns made her debut off the bench against Spain on Tuesday and Jess Carter played out of position at full back as England lost control of the match
The lack of experience beyond Wiegman’s trusted XI could be exposed by elite teams
And the lack of experience behind Wiegman’s trusted XI was laid bare against the world champions on Tuesday night when Bronze and Stanway were substituted to manage loads. Carter – out of position at right-back – and debutant Missy-Bo Kearns stepped in. England looked quickly devoid of control and conceded twice.
Of course, against most teams a single gap will not necessarily be fatal. As it wasn’t against Portugal, when Alessia Russo’s injury forced Wiegman to start 21-year-old Aggie Beever-Jones – the Chelsea striker making the most of the opportunity to announce herself on the world stage with a hat-trick on her Wembley debut. Equally, when you’re up against a better side when the stakes are at their highest, getting on the wrong end of these fine margins can ultimately send you home.
Wiegman has taken this team to unprecedented heights, but the road ahead is demanding evolution. Get it wrong, and another major title could end up being just a pipe dream.
