17-year-old midfielder Parkinson named in Wiegman's England squad

'Other players in front of Fisk and Pattinson at the moment'

England

England manager Sarina Wiegman, on Grace Fisk and Poppy Pattinson being excluded from the squad: "What they have brought is really positive but at the moment, there’s some players in front of them. As it stands, I think these players are in a good place. I was happy with what they have done and I spoke to them. At the moment, there’s other players in front of them."

On managing Erica Meg Parkinson’s nerves: "I just hope she adapts quickly and I hope that with everyone who comes in for the first time. It’s normal you are a bit anxious but just go out there and enjoy yourself as much as possible and try to adapt to the level as quickly as possible too."

On building momentum: "We had a very good camp in February and March. The team was in a very good place and there was a lot of energy in the team... We made huge steps forward in that one. There was a lot of fun and excitement. Hopefully we can bring that to these games too."

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There are quite a few of you texting in about Poppy Pattinson's exclusion from the latest England squad.

Well, although it wasn't touched on in the main news conference, Sarina Wiegman has given an explanation of sorts for her decision.

She has just been speaking to our women's football reporter Emma Sanders and this is what she had to say...

Spain clash crucial next month

Emma Sanders

BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at St George's Park

These are crucial Women's World Cup qualifying matches coming up against Spain and Iceland.

Many are expecting it to be a battle between Spain and England to top the group, with only one automatic spot up for grabs.

With England having home advantage at Wembley, Sarina Wiegman's side will be desperate to continue their winning start.

It would put them in a strong position for their away trip in June if England can bag 12 points from their opening four matches.

Those discussions will no doubt dominate the next few weeks but there is plenty of intrigue today about youngster Erica Meg Parkinson.

Lionesses 500th game 'a big celebration'

England

Finally, England boss Sarina Wiegman was asked about the Lionesses coming up to their 500th game: "It's a big celebration. I think it shows where we came from, where we are now, and we're so thankful to everyone who was before us.

"We stand on their shoulders, all the women that paved the way for us. We stand on their shoulders if we wouldn't be here, if they wouldn't have gone before us. So it's good to celebrate that and to bring everyone together."

Walsh 'important player' for the Lionesses

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on Kiera Walsh's development and coming up to 100 caps for the Lionesses: "First of all, she really stepped up as a leader. She doesn't really like to be in the picture. But, in her way she does actually, that starts with playing well and being a very intelligent player. She's stepped up on and off the pitch. I really like that. It's really nice to see that.

"Before I came in [as England boss], I already thought she was a very good player. She is efficient, technically good but also out of possession, I think she's working really hard and trying to get in to doing more than she has done before. She is an important player for us."

'We learnt a lot about ourselves'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on how games against Ukraine and Iceland have helped prepare them: "We learnt a lot about ourselves. There was a lot of energy in the team. I think everyone was really excited that now the World Cup qualifiers were starting, and we really put a lot of emphasis on us being in possession, and why we have struggled to fight to be more ruthless in the final third. I think we made steps in that.

"I think also Ukraine and Iceland, they're hard to beat. They're really very well organized, both a little bit in a different way, but we really had to break down the wall, And I think we did a pretty well.

"Of course, against Spain, I expect a different game. Of course, we want to be on the ball, but we also know that Spain is really good on the ball and that we won't have the ball all the time, so that ask different things for us."

'Parkinson not the first one I would put on the pitch against Spain'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman was asked if Erica Meg Parkinson would be ready if needed to start against Spain: "With the expectation we have from Spain and from us, she's not the first one that I would put on the pitch, because there's a competition going on in midfield and I think we have many players that are really good at midfield.

"But it's really good to see her, she would surprise me if we would consider her straight away to come on the pitch."

'So many players are in really good form'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on a number of her England players being in fantastic form: "I always like to watch the games, also because the games, a lot of the times are at high levels. So it is good to see all of them.

It is also good to see that a lot of players are in good form. You talk about Lauren James, she is in good form but I can talk about so many more players that are in really good form and that's just really good to see."

'We know how the schedule is'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on players' busy schedules and workload: "We always are [mindful], we know how the schedule is now, it is really busy, back-to-back games, mid-week, weekends.

"So, what we always do, when players come into the camp, we look at workload. The first two days, we figure out how the players come in. Do they need recovery? We do that. We modify individually and figure that out in the first part of the week."

'There is still a lack of women in our sport'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on having more female representation on the sidelines: "We talk a lot about more women in football and to get more balance between male and female in our sport. We still see there is a lack of women. I think it’s good we support that.

"When you are in a game and behind, we are moving but it is not fast enough. You need to do more to get equal [between male and females in football]. This is one of the things that makes it more equal.

"What we need is to give the women opportunities to develop and educate and put them in these positions. The women themselves needs to step up too and this role really emphasises that and hopefully accelerates the balance between females and males in our sport."

'I hope Parkinson can adapt quickly to the level needed in our environment'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman was asked what makes her believe that Erica Meg Parkinson has the mentality to step up to the senior side at 17-years-old: "I think she's ready to come in. I think for every young player who comes in our environment for the first time, of course, there's some anxiety. It's a team that has played on such a high level.

"It's really a step up, and we're not going to force anything. She's going to come in and she's going to show and I hope she's going to enjoy it. I don't expect her to get a starting lineup straight away. That's not what we expect.

"It's a learning thing for her and but I do hope that she can adapt quickly to the level that's needed in our senior environment."

'We follow a lot of players closely'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on injuries and missing key players for this round of qualifiers: "We know this is what we live in. Every time we have some injuries, There's so many games to play, it's very high level. This is what we have, when someone gets injured we think, who is next?

"We follow a lot of players closely, see what they have done, see how they are in form and when someone gets injured we know what options we have and that is how we work."

'We are confident Roebuck will be fine in a couple days'

England

England boss Sarina Wiegman on Ellie Roebuck, who went off injured in Aston Villa's defeat by Chelsea on Sunday: "Yeah she went out. So she's going to be assessed over the next couple of days. It didn't look too bad, and you see how the next couple of days go. But we are confident, and so is Ellie, and so is the club, that it takes a couple of days and then she'll be fine. That's what we expect."

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