SM
Ipswich vs. Man United: 18 hrs 46 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
EN
Women's World Cup | Semi-Finals
Jul 2, 2019 at 8pm UK
 
UN

1-2

White (19')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Press (10'), Morgan (31')

Neville says a World Cup semi-final defeat for England 'would represent failure'

:Headline: Neville says a World Cup semi-final defeat for England 'would represent failure': ID:363349: from db_amp
The defending champions await in Lyon.

England Women head coach Phil Neville wants his side to "develop the serial winner mentality" – and warned going home from the World Cup on the back of a semi-final defeat "would represent failure".

The Lionesses produced the most impressive display of their campaign in France so far with a 3-0 win over Norway on Thursday to progress to the last four of a major tournament for the third successive time.

Waiting next in Lyon on Tuesday night are defending champions the United States, who ended the hosts' challenge with a 2-1 win at Parc des Princes as they remain very much focused on what would be a fourth World Cup triumph.

England produced an impressive display to see off Norway in Le Havre (Richard Sellers/PA)

It is such determination to be the best which Neville believes the current England squad must emulate if they are to make the most of their opportunity.

"A semi-final defeat would represent failure. This England team is ready to win now," Neville said, quoted in several national newspapers.

"I think the FA (Football Association) know I am doing a good job but I said to the players this morning that it would be easy now for them to think 'whatever happens now, we have got to the semi-final, my reputation is intact, we'll probably get invited to Downing Street, everybody loves us at home'. I don't want that.

"We have to develop the serial winner mentality. We have to develop that ruthlessness.

"This is the game we wanted. We have always known that when we got to the World Cup, we were going to have to beat the USA if we were going to win the tournament.

"We have reached the moment now where we have to deliver. This is the moment my players have been waiting for.

"We are not going to back away from this challenge. We have planned and prepared for this.

"We are in great shape. I don't think they will look forward to playing us. If they are looking at teams who can challenge them, we will be number one or two on their list."

Former Olympic rower Dame Katherine Grainger provided some advice to the England Women squad at the World Cup (Guy Hinks/PA)

Neville had arranged for Dame Katherine Grainger – the most-decorated British female Olympian with five rowing medals, three silvers coming before gold at London 2012 – to record a video for the squad as they prepared for the quarter-final against Norway, for his players to "hear her message – winning hurts".

He added: "We have to suffer and go beyond our expectations. We have to trust in the pain we have gone through and the sacrifices we have made and go with your heart and your head and accept it is going to hurt.

"What she told them had a more powerful effect than anything I could have said."

With France losing to the USA, England are among the top three European sides at the World Cup, which will secure a place for Great Britain at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The squad is set to be made up of players from other Home Nations, and Neville is relishing those opportunities ahead.

"I will be the coach that takes the team to the Olympics. I have not thought about it but obviously when the USA won, it confirmed our place in Tokyo and it is exciting," he said.

"Seven out of the eight teams in the quarter-finals were from Europe and qualifying for the Olympics was one of the targets I had for this year.

"It is going to be very special, but let's go and win a World Cup first."

amp_article__363349 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-07-01 13:48:16:
html db last update - 2019-07-01 13:48:16 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Phil Neville

Click here for more stories about England Women

Share this article now:
Read more about Phil Neville Football
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool119112161528
2Manchester CityMan City127232217523
3Chelsea126422314922
4Arsenal126422112922
5Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton126422116522
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs1261527131419
7Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest125431513219
8Aston Villa125431919019
9Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
10Fulham125341717018
11Brentford125252222017
12Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
13Bournemouth124351617-115
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Everton122551017-711
16Leicester CityLeicester122461523-810
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves122372028-89
18Crystal Palace121561017-78
19Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
20Southampton11119721-144
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .