Walsh: Some players want Neville to calm down!

England midfielder Keira Walsh said Lionesses boss Phil Neville is "never satisfied with any performance" but backed his determination to help deliver success at the Women's World Cup.

Neville's players got off to a winning start by beating Scotland 2-1 in Nice, where first-half goals from Nikita Parris and Ellen White ensured England survived a second-half fightback from Shelley Kerr's side.

Manchester City playmaker Walsh, who anchored the Lionesses' midfield in their opener, said Neville's approach suited her despite his criticism of England's second-half display against Scotland.

"People know Phil Neville by now – he's never satisfied with any performance," Walsh told Sky Sports News.

"He just told us what he wasn't happy with and I think, as players, we already knew when we came off that the second half was not what we wanted it to be like.

"On a personal level I quite like being told what I'm not doing well. That lets you know what you need to be improving.

"I'm sure some of the players who are close to the touchline want him to just calm down a bit but he's a great personality and he really drives the team. He knows what it takes to get to the top.

"Looking at the other games it has probably been quite a slow start to this World Cup. There's no reason we can't do what we've set out to do."

June 11, 2019