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England in no need for ‘panic stations,’ former midfielder Scott says
Former England footballer Jill Scott, June 3, 2024

FORMER England midfielder Jill Scott says there is no need to reach “panic stations” ahead of England’s crunch Euro 2025 game with the Netherlands.

The Lionesses’ hopes of retaining their European Championship title could be over if they lose to the Dutch in Zurich on Wednesday after Saturday’s opening defeat by France in Group D.

The fallout to that 2-1 loss has been strong, but Scott is backing Sarina Wiegman’s side to come good and keep their campaign alive.

“I 100 per cent think there has been an overreaction,” the 2022 Euros champion told reporters.

“I feel like the team loses, and then suddenly it’s panic stations, and everybody’s writing about how this is the first time a team has lost their opening game since winning it, and looking for that negative stance on it.

“But we have to remember that France are one of the top teams. It was always going to be a close game, and they’ve got some amazing players who I think really played well on that particular day.

“For me, it’s about not panicking. We know in football, there’s going to be criticism, but the girls just need to focus on the job in hand.

“One game that doesn’t go your way, it doesn’t suddenly make you a bad team, if that was the case I would have been part of a bad team most weeks.

“The aim would always have been to go in against Netherlands and try and get that win.

“There’s a little bit more pressure on it because of the France result, but I feel confident that the girls can do it.”

If England lose and France avoid defeat against Wales in the other Group D match then the Lionesses will be heading home.

Scott says England would have mitigating circumstances if they did go out, insisting that they are in a group of death.

“It would be a disappointment,” she said. “I do think it’s a very, very tough group.

“I did 10 in the national tournaments in total, and usually you always get a couple of games where you find your feet, or they’ll always be you and another team that that, ‘right, we should get out of this group’.

“But it’s very unusual that you get a France and the Netherlands and England.

“One great team is going to go out of the tournament. Hopefully, it’s not going to be England. We’ll see on Wednesday, but I am confident that we can progress.”

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