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Friday 31 May 2019 15:40, UK
Phil Neville says there are no rules for the England Women squad as he believes it would be disrespectful to not treat the players as adults ahead of the World Cup in France.
The Lionesses will play their final warm-up match against New Zealand at Brighton's Amex Stadium on Saturday, ahead of their World Cup opener against Scotland on June 9.
Neville insists there is full trust in the players within the England management staff as they aim to improve on the bronze medal won four years ago in Canada.
The only rule we have is we don't have rules
"We don't have rules within the camp. We just have to show respect. On Thursday when they had the time off, they asked 'what time do you want us in?'.
"You come in when you feel like you need to come in to prepare yourself to be absolutely world class in training.
"For Karen Carney that might be seven o'clock, for others it might be nine and for others it might be half past 10. We trust people to do what they do at home. You earn that trust over a period of time.
"My players, I have got to say, have never had to be disciplined. They are the most unbelievable set of professionals. If I say 'you have got to be in for nine', or 'you have got to sleep at this point of time', it doesn't work.
"You have got to treat them as adults. If I want them to play as adults out on the pitch in front of 31,000 in Nice you have got to treat them as adults off the pitch. The only rule we have is we don't have rules.
Neville, who was a member of three England squads at European Championships, is determined to try and lessen the intensity that comes with major tournaments.
"What we tend to do is to allow them to act like they would at home," he added. "They go to the training ground, they train, they are intense, are in this little bubble and when they go away they can switch off.
"Last night they were free to go and eat whatever they want, wherever they want, meet their friends if they wanted to do, meet their partners if they wanted to. Because ultimately when we get to France it will be intense.
"The families are going to go out in their hundreds.
"After most training days there is going to be time for them to relax, see their mum, dad, partner, uncle or aunt and just to switch off. The games will be that intense. The expectation will be that great that they will need to be treated like adults."
England defeated Denmark 2-0 last Saturday and will aim to secure their third consecutive win when they meet 19th-ranked New Zealand, who will also be participating in France's showpiece.
"When you are in these situations, ultimately you just want to get to France. These two friendly games are a little bit of a nuisance in terms of your focus is really on Scotland and Argentina and going out to France," Neville said.
"We have prepared them for so long that the talking is actually over. Let's now get out to France. These games are friendlies, the result doesn't really matter.
[The players] are maybe worried about getting injured, all these little things go through your mind.
"I have been in this situation myself of when you just want to get rid of these friendlies and just get out to France. I feel the same. I honestly do feel the same.
"There is nothing more we can do on the training ground with them. They are prepared. They understand the system [and] they have clarity."
