Sarina Wiegman has insisted England are not in crisis after some high-profile squad withdrawals - and believes her final Euro 2025 squad has enough experience and balance to retain the trophy.
The Lionesses boss named her squad for the tournament in Switzerland on Thursday - after a tumultuous 10-day period which saw Mary Earps and Fran Kirby retire from international duty, before vice-captain Millie Bright made herself unavailable for selection.
Earps stood down after being told she would be back-up goalkeeper to Hannah Hampton, Kirby retired after being told she would not make the 23-player squad, while Bright said she was not mentally or physically ready to play in the tournament.
On Thursday night, Chelsea confirmed Bright had undergone minor knee surgery and will begin a period of rehabilitation.
But Wiegman is now ready to move on from those incidents: "My experience is before major tournaments, there is always noise. We expect noise until we go into the tournament, and probably it stays.
"The difference between 2017 - and I went to my first tournament as an assistant coach in 2015 - to now, the attention and visibility of the women's game has increased so much.
"There are more journalists here that write and show what we are doing. There's a lot more, but we just have to deal with it, move on and focus on football.
"You [journalists] see parts of it, you are not in our environment all the time. I can assure you that the training sessions have been really good. What you saw against Portugal [who England beat 6-0], that was a very energetic game, a good game.
"You saw these connections. And I saw Spain as two halves, the first half we played very well, the second half we were struggling but I couldn't see there were no connections in the team.
"Having had conversations - lots of football ones - in camp, seeing what happened on and off the pitch with the team, I'm very happy with where we are right now."
Wiegman: We have enough experience and midfield depth
Among the high-profile picks was 19-year-old Michelle Agyemang, who has only played 15 minutes of international football, albeit she scored on her Lionesses debut against Belgium.
Lauren James was also picked for the final squad - despite not playing since picking up a hamstring injury in April. Wiegman was bullish in saying her selection is "not a risk" but Georgia Stanway also ended her club season injured before featuring in the recent Nations League games against Portugal and Spain.
Seven players will be going to their first major tournament - Agyemang, Aggie Beever-Jones, Grace Clinton, Khiara Keating, Maya Le Tissier, Anna Moorhouse and Jess Park.
Asked if England are less experienced than their Euro 2022-winning team after losing 218 caps' worth with the absences of Earps, Kirby and Bright, Wiegman said: "Yeah. When I came in, the team had many, many players that were very experienced. But I do think we have enough experience in the team.
"There are about 16 players who have played in a major tournament, and also playing at such a high level at the club you are experienced in having media rounds, playing big crowds. I don't think that's a problem.
"The experience is enough. The balance? They are not all very young, the players playing their first tournament are so eager too. The balance and the dynamics are good as well."
And asked if there are enough midfielders in the squad, Wiegman replied: "We have to announce it as midfielders and strikers. We can move some players around into some different positions.
"On paper, it looks like we're not so in-depth. But in the team, we have enough depth in midfield."
'Let's move on from Earps and Bright'
Wiegman also addressed Bright's decision to not play for England this summer for the first time, insisting there were no regrets over how the Chelsea defender was handled by club or country.
"It's sad and disappointing and of course it's not nice when you don't feel well physically and mentally," added Wiegman. "I hope she feels well very soon.
"[Bright and Earps] have done so much for us, and for England football. They have been playing the tournaments since I've been here.
"They are hard to replace but there are other players who have done very well, they have the opportunity to step up and to show. You have to move on now."
Meanwhile, in goal, Hampton will play as No 1 but her back-up options Moorhouse and Keating have not been capped by the Lionesses.
Asked if Wiegman tried a last-minute attempt to convince Earps to rejoin the squad, the England boss replied: "No. That's done now.
"That was last week, a week and a half ago. We've been speaking about that a lot. Those conversations were finished. We went back to business and moved on."
England's Euro 2025 squad in full
Goalkeepers: Hannah Hampton (Chelsea), Khiara Keating (Man City), Anna Moorehouse (Orlando Pride).
Defenders: Lucy Bronze (Chelsea), Jess Carter (Gotham FC), Niamh Charles (Chelsea), Alex Greenwood (Man City), Maya Le Tissier (Man Utd), Esme Morgan (Washington Spirit), Leah Williamson (Arsenal), Lotte Wubben-Moy (Arsenal).
Midfielders: Grace Clinton (Man Utd), Jess Park (Man Utd), Georgia Stanway (Bayern Munich), Ella Toone (Man Utd), Keira Walsh (Chelsea).
Forwards: Michelle Agyemang (Arsenal), Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea), Lauren Hemp (Man City), Lauren James (Chelsea), Chloe Kelly (Man City), Beth Mead (Arsenal), Alessia Russo (Arsenal).
What next for the Lionesses?
All kick-offs UK time (BST)
June 29: Jamaica (H), friendly at King Power Stadium, kick-off 5pm
July 5: France (N), Women's Euro 2025 group stage, kick-off 8pm
July 9: Netherlands (N), Women's Euro 2025 group stage, kick-off 5pm
July 13: Wales (N), Women's Euro 2025 group stage, kick-off 8pm
