Earps announces shock England retirement after losing place I can't help but feel that she's let England down here - she's one of the most experienced goalkeepers in the world at that level, and even as second choice would have been an important part of the squad and a positive influence on that "younger generation", who lack big tournament games. Disappointing.
Gary Lineker did it in 1992. If Graham Taylor hadn't subbed him v Sweden he'd have played on until 1994.
No he wouldn't. It was well established that was his last tournament. He'd announced his retirement. The substitution had no bearing on the decision.
I don’t agree here. I think there’s more to Hampton being given the shirt than has been announced (as there aren’t too many people who would argue Hannah Hampton is a better goalkeeper than Mary Earps). She is playing behind the majority of her club defence for England so there is some logic - but I think there’s a bit if the Beckham/Ferguson thing happening here. Ole Solskjaer was never better than Beckham wide right - but Ferguson played him over Beckham the year he ended up going to Real. It was a personality thing. I reckon Wiegman may have other reasons for selecting Hampton. Earps is entitled to remove herself from that. Even if it is just a sporting decision (and I have serious doubts about that), she may feel it impossible to continue under a manager who seems to have lost faith. Regardless, her retirement is less selfish than those of Shearer in 2000 at 30 and Scholes in 2004 at 29 for example. They would have both continued to be key starters. Ben White can’t even be arsed to turn up. Where you see chucking the toys out of the pram, I see removing herself from a potentially toxic situation. We don’t even know she would have been second choice. For all we know Wiegman might have said she was third at best. I’d agree with her if she came out and said that she felt she was still the best English goalkeeper and should be in the team. She hasn’t done that, she’s respected the setup and Hampton - but she does appear to have been mistreated. Punished for going abroad. It’s like English rugby. Walking away now when her stock is still high gets her a foot in the door for a broadcasting career too - if she carried on playing second or third fiddle and looked to start that in later years she might miss the boat. She’s belled on to be one of the leading pundits for the tournament - and whilst she’s on 5k a week now in Paris she hasn’t always been; and even then it’s still not men’s football money. She needs to plan long term. She has a future to plan for financially - she isn’t just a commodity for her country. She owes nothing. I don’t blame her whatsoever.
Looks like she's took her ball home. I would have preferred her to back herself to win her place back.
Whilst I'd love to have seen her at the Euros, especially if Hampton gets injured, winning your place back as a keeper is especially difficult, for obvious reasons.
Agree with this fully. I think it’s right for all parties. However I don’t agree with your Ben White comment. He’s not lazy - he has his reasons, which are valid. And currently he’s out of the squad as been injured for quite a bit this season and his partner is due to give birth in the next few weeks.
I wasn’t really trying to dig out White to be honest, just highlighting the difference in Earps’ situation to those who want to criticise her.
There is very little to pick between the two of them, Earps is better in the air and is more vocal, Hampton has the edge on distribution giving England an extra dimension that Earps can’t with her long ball distribution. Both are excellent shot stoppers. For me it’s a bit like the Clemence & Shilton dilemma. Whilst Hampton is helped at Chelsea by such a strong team it’s worth noting that Berger (who was voted FIFA no 1 keeper) left Chelsea, which would also suggest they believe Hampton has something about her too. I would hazard the guess that most know little about Hampton but have heard of Earps as her social media profile is up there with any female footballer.
Treated badly by Wiegman who seems to have problems at times with high profile players . Promoting a relative international rookie over experienced star player who is still a top keeper is poor