Why Sue Smith believes there will be no repeat of her Euros final 'strop'
SUE SMITH admits she was once a stroppy substitute in a European Championship final – but she thinks there is no chance of that in the current Lionesses.
Substitutes have been crucial to England's high-wire progression to Sunday's final, where they will defend their title against Spain. They were just as important when the team won their maiden title three years ago.
Former Leeds United and Doncaster Rovers Belles winger Smith believes the impact the likes of two-goal substitute Michelle Agyemang has had from the bench is a tribute to the spirit Sarina Wiegman has created in the camp, and although she admits the Dutch coach has put her through the mill at times by not making changes sooner, she cannot argue with the results.
"I just say in Sarina we trust," she smiles. "She's definitely leaving it a little bit later than a lot of us would like!
"But it was similar in 2022 when they won it and she had Ella Toone and Alessia Russo and you knew between 60 and 70 minutes they were coming on. She had her starting XI, she was going to stick with it unless something happened with an injury or illness, then bring on the 'finishers', as she calls them."
Smith who won 93 England caps between 1997 and 2012 played in every game as the Lionesses made it to the 2009 final but not the showpiece, which Germany won 6-2.
"In 2009 when I didn't play in the final, I was sulking a little bit because I'd played all the way through, we got to the final, lost and I didn't play," admits Smith.
"Would I have been different if we had won? Maybe. But you need to know what your role is throughout that tournament, and I think Sarina creates a really good atmosphere and a real togetherness. They just seem to all be as one.
"Sarina is so good at understanding the players and making sure that they're okay.
"She's very direct and honest and if you've not played well, she'll tell you but you know where you stand. That's all you want as a player.
"Whether you're playing or not, you feel a part of it in helping the team get through.
"It's hard as a player when you go away for five or six weeks and not play a minute but she seems to be able to get the balance right that the players are accepting of it.
"Speaking to players who have played for her, they all know what their roles are. Before every game you are either in the starting XI, a finisher or a squad player.
"We were talking about Beth England not getting a minute in Euro 2022 but as soon as she won the final she was running to Sarina to give her a massive hug."
Smith, who made her international debut as a 16-year-old, thinks the substitute's role Agyemang has played three times en route to the final is easier for a teenager.
"When you're a youngster coming through it's your next step," she says of the 19-year-old. "She had one cap before the tournament and was probably just thinking she was coming for experience.
"It's the next step for her, whereas Beth Mead was one of the players of the tournament in 2022 but now she's just coming on and making an impact, similar to Chloe Kelly. Some players can cope with it, some can't.
"Mary Earps wasn't going to be the No 1 goalkeeper and she retired."
Smith says the defending champions will have to up their game to bring the trophy back home.
"They're not playing particularly well, there's certainly a lot of luck along the way but they've got to a third final in a row, which is incredible," she says.
"Certainly they've got to play better. They got away with it a little bit in the penalty shoot-out against Sweden but although they left it very late against Italy in the semi-final I thought they got it spot on tactically. They found a way.
"Playing against Spain would you be able to be a bit sloppy?"
Spain, who beat England in the last World Cup final will be formidable opponents, but beatable according to Smith.
"Spain are very good on the ball, very technical, keep it really well but they're probably vulnerable to pace going forward," she says. "They play a high line and teams have got at them going forward.
"England could probably win that way because we can be physical and aggressive and we do have pace going forward.
"There's a bit of arrogance about England and we've never been like that. The Americans and Germans just believe in themselves.
"In 2009 when we played Germany in the final we found out they'd already organised a winner's party.
"You feel these English girls have that – I don't think they'll be organising parties but I certainly think they believe no matter who they play, they can beat them."