England Women's manager Sarina Wiegman has publicly defended her controversial decision to drop long-serving goalkeeper Mary Earps in favour of Hannah Hampton, stating unequivocally that she makes "decisions to win".
The Press Conference Defence
Speaking at Wembley on Tuesday during the announcement of her squad for upcoming fixtures against China and Ghana, Wiegman addressed the ongoing controversy stemming from Earps' recent autobiography. The veteran goalkeeper had openly criticised Wiegman's choice to make Hampton the starting goalkeeper ahead of this summer's Euros in Switzerland.
While Wiegman expressed that she had "really enjoyed working with Mary" and would cherish their time together with England, she firmly stated she would make the same decision again if presented with the same circumstances.
Competition and Communication
"We had a very good goalkeeper unit and the two goalkeepers were competing for the No 1 spot," Wiegman explained. She emphasised the efforts made to maintain clear communication and support for all players involved, though acknowledged perceptions might differ.
"I can't control how it comes across and there's always learnings, but I don't think, looking at the bigger picture, I would have done things differently," she added, noting that individual experiences of the same situation can vary significantly.
Hampton's Tournament Success
The decision appeared justified by Hampton's performances during England's successful Euros campaign in Switzerland. The goalkeeper played a crucial role in England's penalty shootout victories, most notably in the quarter-final against Sweden and the final against Spain.
In the dramatic final, Hampton made spectacular saves against spot kicks from three-time Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmatí and Arsenal's Champions League winner Mariona Caldentey, cementing her status as England's number one.
Wiegman maintained her principle of keeping private conversations with players confidential, stating this approach "builds trust" and ensures players feel comfortable sharing concerns. "When they feel that things stay with me, they know the door is always open and will come in and keep sharing things," she explained.
The England manager concluded by reinforcing her managerial philosophy: "I just know what I want to do is create an environment where we speak up, where I give clarity, where I always communicate with players when it's necessary, and also, I make decisions to win."
