Ellen White has revealed her discomfort regarding revelations in Mary Earps' recently published memoir, which exposes private England squad matters including strained relations with manager Sarina Wiegman and goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.
The former England striker expressed concern that the autobiography violates team confidentiality principles traditionally upheld within the Lionesses' inner circle.
Earps' book, released half a year following her international retirement, provides detailed accounts of her deteriorating rapport with Wiegman and describes friction with Hampton as stemming from a "misalignment of values."
White, who shared Euro 2022 glory with Earps, articulated feeling torn between loyalty to her ex-colleague and preserving squad privacy.
Mary Earps retired from England duty earlier this year | PASpeaking on BBC 5 Live, the 36-year-old confessed: "Honestly, it's made me quite uneasy.
"I feel very nervous because I feel like I and all the Lionesses almost have this unwritten oath: when you're in a team, what happens in that dressing room, in and amongst training, in your bubble, stays within that team and that environment."
White acknowledged her internal struggle, stating: "I feel a little bit uneasy about what has been spoken about by Mary Earps.
"But then I also feel like she's my team-mate, so I feel a lot of sadness at the same time that I want to help."
The England record scorer emphasised how Wiegman's arrival created an impenetrable team spirit that proved crucial to their 2022 triumph.
Ellen White shared a dressing room with Mary Earps as England romped to victory at the Euros in 2022
|PA
"When Sarina came in, we built a culture that felt unbreakable. 2022 was so important we never let anything come between us, that bubble, or the winning mentality," White reflected.
She expressed distress that this sacred environment had been compromised, adding: "I feel like that's been penetrated a little bit and it's quite hard to take."
White stressed that whilst complete harmony isn't expected within any squad, mutual respect remained paramount.
"We would do anything for each other and we would fight for each other. But everything is in that bubble and nothing escapes that bubble. That's what makes it quite challenging for me and makes me nervous to talk about because it's sacred."
The memoir has prompted reactions from prominent football personalities, with Ian Wright voicing worries about both goalkeepers' welfare.
Mary Earps played a starring role during England's victorious Euro 2022 campaign | PA"Normally you'd get this kind of story 15 or 20 years later. Neither of them is used to this level of attention, and that's a worry," Wright cautioned.
Roy Keane offered a contrasting perspective, proposing that Earps understood her revelations would generate controversy.
Gary Neville questioned the memoir's timing, stating: "I just remembered towards the end of my career, I brought an autobiography out and I decided that I would never bring it out while I was still playing."
The former Manchester United defender suggested delaying publication until after retirement would have been wiser.