Millie Bright: I didn't talk about mental health in case it got back to the manager
Millie Bright revealed she had fears about speaking up about her mental health in case of retribution from her manager, after dropping out of England's European Championship defence just weeks before the tournament.
Bright, 31, who captained England at the World Cup in 2023, plunged England's preparations into chaos by becoming the third Lionesses player to withdraw after Mary Earps and Fran Kirby announce their retirement.
Having played 43 times for club and country this season, Bright explained she was not 'able to give 100 per cent mentally or physically' to the national side, and had therefore made the decision to rule herself out of selection.
Speaking on their podcast, The Rest Is Football: Daly and Brightness, Bright and Rachel Daly spoke about mental health and its impact on playing football.
When asked whether players can speak openly about mental health, Bright said: 'I'd say players are really good at checking in on each other, but I'd still say when you're in that environment – like when you go into training – you're in training mode.'
She added: 'I'd say in the changing room, it's actually hard to have those sorts of conversations when you're at training. Because also, as a player, you don't want to speak to someone. I don't want to speak to someone if I think that's going to get back to the manager, because I would certainly panic and be like, 'If my manager thinks I'm not in a good place, then I'm not going to play', or they think I'm not capable.
'I also think, as a person, when you remove yourself from a work environment, you're more likely to open up. But I've always got therapy outside training. I've never done it through training. I've always done it personally and in a private setting. That's just my personal preference. I don't think I would ever go at club. I don't know. When I go there, I feel like I get into my role.'
Bright has said previously that she has spoken to former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes about her struggles. She has become an ambassador for YoungMinds and also spoken openly about the topic.
The announcement follows Fran Kirby's announcement of retirement in the aftermath of England's 2-1 Nations League defeat in Spain on Tuesday evening, while Mary Earps also decided to end her international career only weeks before the tournament.
Bright's decision came as a surprise, and it has dealt a significant blow to head coach Sarina Wiegman for the tournament, with questions also being raised about the environment of her squad after the three high-profile withdrawals on the eve of trying to win back-to-back Euros.
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