England boss Sarina Wiegman admits to being “sad and disappointed” at the news that Mary Earps has retired from international football.
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Euros champion and two-time FIFA Best Women’s Goalkeeper Earps has announced that she will no longer be available for selection with the Lionesses. The 32-year-old is walking away after earning 53 caps for her country.
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Few saw that decision coming, despite Hannah Hampton providing fierce competition for the No.1 berth, and Wiegman concedes that she is still coming to terms with the fact that an elite performer is no longer part of her plans.
WHAT SARINA WIEGMAN SAID
Wiegman told reporters of Earps’ big decision: “I am really disappointed and sad that she is not part of the team because I want her in my team. That must have been a really hard decision for her and so it is for us. There have been a couple of conversations which I don't want to share here because they are between us. It's hard and it's hard for her at the same time.
“I want her in my team. She has done such a great job for England. She has made a massive difference and we have had an incredible journey so far and I really cherish that. That is also where the disappointment comes from.”
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Wiegman added when asked if disappointment blends into annoyance, with a European Championship title defence fast approaching: “Of course, it's hard. But I want to keep to disappointment. It's emotional because you also have relationships and we have had such a massive journey together with lots of highs and some lows too and that's what makes it really hard. We have to move on too. We have a game tomorrow. We are going into the Euros and after that we can think about those things.”