Laura Woods leads criticism as Nike refuse to sell England star Mary Earps’ World Cup kit
Laura Woods has described Nike’s decision not to sell Mary Earps’ England kit for the World Cup as ‘weird’. The Lionesses and Manchester United star has been left hurt as her shirt has not been put on sale for fans yet again. Earps’ kit for the World Cup is not on sale to fansGettyThe same happened last year during England’s Euro 2022 triumphGettyWoods has shown her support for the Lionesses star@laura_woodsy TwitterEarps was told her kit was not sold last summer for England’s Euros triumph due to manufacturing issues and that the issue would not happen again. However, unlike the home and away jerseys, fans are still unable to get their hands on the goalkeeping attire for the Women’s World Cup as reports say it is not part of Nike’s commercial strategy. Earps told The Guardian: “It is something I have been fighting behind closed doors. “I have been trying to go through the correct channels as much as possible, which is why I have not spoken on it publicly – even though I have been asked a lot about it over the past few months – because I have been desperately trying to find a solution with the FA and with Nike. “Unfortunately, it has become very evident that is not possible and there is not going to be an acceptable solution for the young kids out there. “On a personal level, it is hugely hurtful considering the last 12 months especially. There has been an incredible rise in goalkeeping participation.” Woods has spoken out against the decision ahead of the Lionesses first fixture against Haiti on Saturday, which is live on talkSPORT. She tweeted: “Mary’s one of my favourite England players. I get it’s not just Nike that do this, but how mad a decision not to produce & sell England GK shirts when that goalkeeper is Mary Earps. “And while she’s the reigning FIFA Best GK. And a reigning European Champion. Find that v weird.” talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook spoke on White and Jordan on how if this was Jordan Pickford for the men’s team, the same scenario would not happen. Ex-England youth star Courtney Sweetman-Kirk agreed, saying: “No there isn’t. “I think then what we’re talking about now, going back to the bonus [performance-related bonuses dispute with the FA] and what people were talking about, again Lucy Bronze delved a lot more into that. It’s not just about the money, it’s not about the finance. England’s home kit is available for purchaseGetty“It’s about what the money stands for and everything else behind it. So, that fact you can’t buy Earps’ goalkeeper shirt, and there’s lots of other things, the fact that the commercial window got cut short. “These are all the things that the girls are fighting for on top of the bonus.” England women’s record scorer Ellen White also revealed her confusion about the decision when she spoke to talkSPORT Breakfast. “I’ve got absolutely no idea, it’s a very strange one, it’s very weird. Why wouldn’t you want to create a goalkeeping kit? Earps will be hoping to guide England to more silverware in Australia and New ZealandGetty“Because you’ve got budding goalies who would want that kit. It’s a nice strip as well, it’s not like it’s a rubbish strip, it’s nice!” Earps discovered that she was omitted from images of the promotional launch for the new England kit in April. She even offered to pay for their production herself but the 30-year-old’s shirt remains unavailable. The goalkeeper is set to don her strip in between the sticks on Saturday morning as England kick off their World Cup campaign. Women's World Cup on talkSPORT Listen to live commentary of the 2023 Women’s World Cup on the talkSPORT network, with our coverage kicking off on Saturday with England vs Haiti on talkSPORT at 10.30am. And you can follow all the World Cup results, keep up-to-date with the latest fixtures and see the group standings in our new match centre HERE.
Laura Woods has described Nike’s decision not to sell Mary Earps’ England kit for the World Cup as ‘weird’.
The Lionesses and Manchester United star has been left hurt as her shirt has not been put on sale for fans yet again.
Earps was told her kit was not sold last summer for England’s Euros triumph due to manufacturing issues and that the issue would not happen again.
However, unlike the home and away jerseys, fans are still unable to get their hands on the goalkeeping attire for the Women’s World Cup as reports say it is not part of Nike’s commercial strategy.
Earps told The Guardian: “It is something I have been fighting behind closed doors.
“I have been trying to go through the correct channels as much as possible, which is why I have not spoken on it publicly – even though I have been asked a lot about it over the past few months – because I have been desperately trying to find a solution with the FA and with Nike.
“Unfortunately, it has become very evident that is not possible and there is not going to be an acceptable solution for the young kids out there.
“On a personal level, it is hugely hurtful considering the last 12 months especially. There has been an incredible rise in goalkeeping participation.”
Woods has spoken out against the decision ahead of the Lionesses first fixture against Haiti on Saturday, which is live on talkSPORT.
She tweeted: “Mary’s one of my favourite England players. I get it’s not just Nike that do this, but how mad a decision not to produce & sell England GK shirts when that goalkeeper is Mary Earps.
“And while she’s the reigning FIFA Best GK. And a reigning European Champion. Find that v weird.”
talkSPORT’s chief football correspondent Alex Crook spoke on White and Jordan on how if this was Jordan Pickford for the men’s team, the same scenario would not happen.
Ex-England youth star Courtney Sweetman-Kirk agreed, saying: “No there isn’t.
“I think then what we’re talking about now, going back to the bonus [performance-related bonuses dispute with the FA] and what people were talking about, again Lucy Bronze delved a lot more into that. It’s not just about the money, it’s not about the finance.
“It’s about what the money stands for and everything else behind it. So, that fact you can’t buy Earps’ goalkeeper shirt, and there’s lots of other things, the fact that the commercial window got cut short.
“These are all the things that the girls are fighting for on top of the bonus.”
England women’s record scorer Ellen White also revealed her confusion about the decision when she spoke to talkSPORT Breakfast.
“I’ve got absolutely no idea, it’s a very strange one, it’s very weird. Why wouldn’t you want to create a goalkeeping kit?
“Because you’ve got budding goalies who would want that kit. It’s a nice strip as well, it’s not like it’s a rubbish strip, it’s nice!”
Earps discovered that she was omitted from images of the promotional launch for the new England kit in April.
She even offered to pay for their production herself but the 30-year-old’s shirt remains unavailable.
The goalkeeper is set to don her strip in between the sticks on Saturday morning as England kick off their World Cup campaign.
Women's World Cup on talkSPORT
Listen to live commentary of the 2023 Women’s World Cup on the talkSPORT network, with our coverage kicking off on Saturday with England vs Haiti on talkSPORT at 10.30am.
And you can follow all the World Cup results, keep up-to-date with the latest fixtures and see the group standings in our new match centre HERE.
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