Women’s World Cup: Phil Neville questions US ‘etiquette’ after visit to England team hotel

England head coach left bemused by US officials visit to team hotel

Phil Neville has questioned the “etiquette” of Women’s World Cup semi-final opponents the United States after they sent members of staff to visit England’s team hotel in Lyon.

Neville’s side will meet the reigning world champions at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Tuesday night, with the final set to be held at the same venue next Sunday.

At least two US staff members are understood to have scoped out the Fourviere Hotel on Sunday morning, with a view to staying there if they reach this weekend’s final.

The staff members were not identifiable as US officials by their clothing. Even though England were training and not present at the hotel at the time, the Football Association is unhappy.

Neville was left bemused by the visit and, though he does not believe the US gained an unfair advantage, he said it was not something his own staff would do.

“I just thought: ‘What are they doing?’ It’s not etiquette really, is it? I just think that’s not something I would allow from our organisation.”

Neville said that if he were Jill Ellis, the US head coach, he would not be happy with conduct of his operations staff.

“It’s not a concern, the only thing I would say is it’s not something I would want my team ops person doing,” he said.

“I hope they enjoy the hotel, but it’s not something we’d do, sending somebody round to another team’s hotel.

“But it’s their problem. I’m sure Jill wouldn’t have been happy with that arrangement. I wouldn’t have been, if that was my team ops person going around. I’m sure she’ll be dealing with their infrastructure within their own discipline.”

Yet when questioned on the subject earlier on Sunday, Ellis had said such practice was “normal” and denied it hinted at arrogance on their part.

“I would assume everyone’s doing that. You have to plan ahead,” she said. “The only two people who think about planning ahead on my team are my administrator and her boss.

“Everybody else, we don’t worry about that. That’s probably who the two people [visiting the hotel] were. I think it’s important to do your job.

“In terms of arrogance, that has nothing to do with us. That’s planning and preparation for our staff. I think that’s pretty normal.”