HERAKLION, Greece — The England squad is staying in tranquil surroundings in Crete, with the beach beneath their hotel lined by families and local cafes serving tourists. Some players took a stroll along the shore between training sessions, but the atmosphere carried a clear businesslike tone rather than a holiday feel.
When the Lionesses face Greece on Friday night they will be overwhelming favourites, while their opponents have never qualified for a major tournament. Patience is expected to be important on the banks of the Aegean Sea, and the squad are conscious they do not want to become a new legend in the country’s folklore.
The group last met in June in Mallorca when England travelled knowing a point might secure automatic qualification, only to be routed 4-0 by Spain. Alexia Putellas scored in each half and Patri Guijarro and Clàudia Pina also contributed in what was Sarina Wiegman’s heaviest defeat as England manager. “It hurts,” Wiegman said afterwards, and she challenged the team to respond.
England did respond with a 3-0 win over Ukraine at Everton, with goals from Jess Carter, Georgia Stanway and Beth Mead, but results elsewhere left the team facing the playoff path to the World Cup. The WSL season had already run five rounds by the time the squad reconvened: Manchester City arrived with five wins from five but amid uncertainty after the club was found guilty of breaking Premier League financial rules; Arsenal had started poorly with pressure on Renée Slegers; Manchester United showed signs of regrouping; and other players were struggling for match time.
Wiegman emphasised the need for focus when players join the camp. “When the players come in, you know they can’t just park things,” she said, adding that the environment allows players moments of rest and conversation before preparation continues. When the squad was named in September, Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly were notable omissions because their levels of form “weren’t what I expected,” and Lotte Wubben-Moy, Taylor Hinds, Ellie Roebuck and Aggie Beever-Jones were also left out. Toone later returned to the squad as a late injury replacement.
