Sarina Wiegman has said that it will be difficult for former captain Steph Houghton to force her way into the England World Cup squad. The Manchester City defender said at the weekend that she felt she had done enough to be called up again but Wiegman responded by backing the players currently being picked.
“At the moment she’s in a hard position because I don’t want to take out the players who are in that position, because they’re doing really well,” Wiegman said before England’s friendly against Australia at Brentford on Tuesday night. “So the chances are not that high [for Houghton to make World Cup squad] but I will never close the door. Because when you are in international football and you are England coach, you want everyone to be available, so [if] things happen for some players that situation changes. But at this moment, I make other choices.”
Wiegman said she had “a lot of respect” for what Houghton has done for the women’s game and for her return to action with Manchester City following injury. “It is difficult because she has done so much for the game, it’s difficult with everyone because everyone trains so hard and so does she. Of course she wants to come back. We had other players I had to disappoint with the choices I made. That always makes it hard but what I try to do is communicate it and give some context about my choices.”
Houghton told BBC Radio 5 Live on Sunday that dealing with her omission from the squad had been “mentally tough”. The 34-year-old said: “I thought I was probably in the best position over March and April but sometimes no matter what you do, you’re not going to please someone. I just want closure on the situation. Have I got a chance or is it not possible? But I understand she can’t provide that closure because there’s a World Cup coming up and you’ve got to have as many players available.”
Regarding the game against Australia, Wiegman said not to expect big changes from the side that played Brazil in the Finalissima. The game at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium is the last match before Wiegman names her World Cup squad. “We are not planning on making many changes to start with,” she said. “We don’t have many games to go [until the World Cup]. This is another big game. Australia are a big team, they are 10th in the world, so I hope we will be challenged again.”
Ella Toone scored the opening goal of the Finalissima before Andressa Alves’s late strike forced a penalty shootout. England triumphed in that despite Toone missing her spot-kick. “It was disappointing but I have come back into training feeling great,” she said. “I thought we played well and got what we wanted; we got the win. But yes, I have started practising penalties more now in training.”
The Manchester United midfielder said she was enjoying every opportunity to play with her teammate for club and country, Alessia Russo, with the forward’s contract up in the summer. “Whatever happens, happens,” said Toone.
“We’re joined at the hip and we’re best friends. We love each other’s company,” she said. “That will never change no matter where Alessia is. I love playing with her. Right now we’re at England camp, spending every minute together and playing football together.”
