Keeper Mary Earps has emphatically said that her freshly launched personal story was never intended to “damage others” and expressed concern that public reaction has been “misinterpreted.”
Controversial Comments and Fan Backlash
The former England player, who had a vital part in the championship win, received criticism from fans and Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor after commenting about ex-colleague Hannah Hampton and coach Sarina Wiegman.
In her autobiography, Earps wrote that she told Wiegman she was “rewarding bad behaviour” by recalling Hampton to the Lionesses lineup after leaving her out for being “disruptive and unreliable.”
“The response has been immense to see how certain aspects were twisted,” Earps shared in an interview.
Clarifying Her Purpose
Earps clearly stated that her memoir was not designed to harm individuals.
- “This book wasn’t written to tear anyone down in any manner.”
- “That isn’t my personality as a individual.”
- “This is real life. It has consequences. It isn’t a drama.”
She also remarked about how women’s football has evolved into a realm that has become “almost like performance,” where personal lives are picked apart for public amusement.
Dynamic with the Manager
Earps discussed losing the starting position as the starting goalkeeper before the European Championship and how that created tension with Wiegman.
She stated it was “not a rapid decline” in their dynamic—just a divergence in opinions—and she still respects the manager.
“There were things that occurred during that period that I wish had happened differently,” Earps stated.
Individual Difficulties
In her memoir, Earps shared details of the mistreatment she experienced at school, describing it as a “really hard” chapter to read again because it brought back old wounds.
- “I didn’t stand up back then.”
- “I just assumed that people disapproved of me for most of my life.”
- “I was conditioned to feel like no one truly cared.”
These emotions led to panic attacks, and Earps shared she had issues with body image and turned to alcohol during the lockdown period to cope with emotional difficulties.
Private Matters and Aspirations
Earps recently shared that she is in a relationship with a woman and stated she is proud about her relationship.
She also discussed her desire to be a mother and revealed she has preserved her eggs for later fertility treatment.
“I deeply desire to be a parent and have a household,” Earps stated. “I love playing football, but I hope to have a child later down the line.”
Earps described the egg-freezing procedure as “intense and intrusive” and advocated for more research tailored to athletes undergoing similar procedures.
During her remarks, Earps reiterated that she has no feelings of remorse about her professional journey or individual actions, stressing that she always acted with integrity.
