Millie Bright does not believe that England will be affected by the row over hotel ‘spying’ ahead of their Women’s World Cup semi-final against the United States.
Members of US staff were found on Sunday wandering around private rooms at the Fourviere in Lyon, where England are staying ahead of Tuesday night’s match.
The officials were scoping out the hotel with a view to potentially staying there before this weekend’s final, but the Football Association were left unhappy by their conduct.
Phil Neville, the England head coach, questioned the “etiquette” of the US on Sunday and claimed members of his own backroom team would not do the same.
There were further concerns on Monday morning when an unknown observer watched England train from hill at their Lyon base, though the man was later identified as a local passing by on his daily walk.
1/12 Norway 0-3 England – player ratings from World Cup quarter-final
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2/12 Karen Bardsley: 6
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3/12 Lucy Bronze: 9
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4/12 Steph Houghton: 8
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5/12 Millie Bright: 4
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6/12 Demi Stokes: 7
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7/12 Jill Scott: 7
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8/12 Fran Kirby: 6
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9/12 Keira Walsh: 5
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10/12 Toni Duggan: 5
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11/12 Nikita Parris: 8
REUTERS
12/12 Ellen White: 8
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1/12 Norway 0-3 England – player ratings from World Cup quarter-final
PA
2/12 Karen Bardsley: 6
AP
3/12 Lucy Bronze: 9
Getty Images
4/12 Steph Houghton: 8
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5/12 Millie Bright: 4
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6/12 Demi Stokes: 7
EPA
7/12 Jill Scott: 7
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8/12 Fran Kirby: 6
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9/12 Keira Walsh: 5
PA
10/12 Toni Duggan: 5
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11/12 Nikita Parris: 8
REUTERS
12/12 Ellen White: 8
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Neville was clearly bemused by the hotel incident, though he said on Sunday that he does not expect it to have a bearing on the semi-final. Speaking on Monday, his centre-back Bright agreed.
“As players we’re unaware of anything as such,” she said, regarding the hotel row. “We’re too busy doing our training, recovery and resting. We are just focusing on ourselves. I’m sure the situation was handled.”
Bright played through Thursday’s 3-0 quarter-final win over Norway despite suffering from a virus last week, though the Chelsea centre-half confirmed that she has fully recovered in time for the last four.
Her and her partner in the centre of England’s defence, Steph Houghton, will need to be at their best in order to keep out the US. The reigning world champions are firm favourites to progress to Sunday’s final and reclaim their crown.
Bright, however, is confident of an upset. “We’re going to bring ultimate energy, 100 per cent going out there, winning the physical battles and making sure we’re clinical,” she said.
“That’s something we’ve done really well so far. We’ve created a lot but we’ve also finished. I think that’s something that we’re going to go out to try and do and I 100 per cent believe we’re going to do it.”
