Ellen White expresses concern over Mary Earps’ memoir revelations
Ellen White has revealed her discomfort regarding revelations in Mary Earps’ recently published memoir, which exposes private England squad matters including strained relations with manager Sarina Wiegman and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, reports BritPanorama.
Earps’ book, released half a year following her international retirement, provides detailed accounts of her deteriorating rapport with Wiegman and describes friction with Hampton as stemming from a “misalignment of values.”
White, who shared Euro 2022 glory with Earps, articulated feeling torn between loyalty to her ex-colleague and preserving squad privacy. On BBC 5 Live, the 36-year-old confessed: “Honestly, it’s made me quite uneasy.” She continued, “I feel very nervous because I feel like I and all the Lionesses almost have this unwritten oath: when you’re in a team, what happens in that dressing room, in and amongst training, in your bubble, stays within that team and that environment.”
Discussing the impact of Earps’ revelations, White acknowledged her internal struggle, stating: “I feel a little bit uneasy about what has been spoken about by Mary Earps. But then I also feel like she’s my team-mate, so I feel a lot of sadness at the same time that I want to help.” The England record scorer emphasised how Wiegman’s arrival created an impenetrable team spirit that proved crucial to their 2022 triumph.
“When Sarina came in, we built a culture that felt unbreakable. 2022 was so important we never let anything come between us, that bubble, or the winning mentality,” White reflected. She expressed distress that this sacred environment had been compromised, adding: “I feel like that’s been penetrated a little bit and it’s quite hard to take.”
White stressed that while complete harmony isn’t expected within any squad, mutual respect remains paramount. “We would do anything for each other and we would fight for each other. But everything is in that bubble and nothing escapes that bubble. That’s what makes it quite challenging for me and makes me nervous to talk about because it’s sacred.”
The memoir has prompted reactions from prominent football personalities, with Ian Wright voicing concerns about both goalkeepers’ welfare. “Normally you’d get this kind of story 15 or 20 years later. Neither of them is used to this level of attention, and that’s a worry,” Wright cautioned. In contrast, Roy Keane proposed that Earps understood her revelations would generate controversy, while Gary Neville questioned the memoir’s timing, suggesting that delaying publication until after retirement may have been wiser.
In the world of sports, the boundaries between personal narratives and team confidentiality can often become blurred, echoing a complex relationship that athletes must navigate. As the dust settles on this revelation, the conversations around loyalty and the sanctity of team spirit seem likely to continue.
