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Katie Chapman claims Mark Sampson stopped picking her for England after she told him she was getting a divorce
One of England’s longest-serving players claims Mark Sampson stopped picking her after she told him she was getting a divorce.
Chelsea Ladies captain Katie Chapman said she suspected it was “part” of the reason Sampson, who has found himself at the centre of explosive discrimination allegations, had not selected her since April last year.
The 35-year-old mother-of-three claimed Sampson had not even spoken to her in the intervening 17 months, despite initially expressing support by telling her to “take a little time to manage that situation”.
Declaring she felt “hard done by”, Chapman became the latest player to speak out about Sampson since team-mate Eni Aluko accused him of bullying and discrimination last month.
That was after Sampson, who denies any wrongdoing, had been cleared by two investigations of allegations made by Aluko, including that he racially abused another Chelsea player, Drew Spence. Speaking about this for the first time earlier this week, Sampson said: “These allegations were investigated thoroughly and now we’re in a position where I feel strongly that we need to move on.”
Chapman, the winner of 94 caps since making her England debut all the way back in 2000, claimed her performances in this year had been strong enough to earn a recall in time for the European Championship.
She said: “I’ve certainly not had a conversation with Mark about that so I’m a little left thinking, ‘Why was I not selected or not even spoken to about that situation?’”
She added: “I’ve gone through a divorce.
“And I think that might’ve played a little part, going through that, too, managing with the children and stuff.”
Asked whether the outcome would have been the same had a male player told his international manager his marriage was over, Chapman said: ‘No, so I don't know. Off the back of that conversation, I haven’t been picked.”
Four years ago, Chapman claimed her central contract had been cancelled back in 2010 after she had asked previous manager Hope Powell for time off to look after her children.
Even when she was recalled by Sampson for the last World Cup, she criticised the Football Association’s failure to help with child-care arrangements for the month-long tournament in Canada.
She declared on Friday that being a mother should not prevent her being selected for her country, saying: “When I have to go on international duty, I sort out my childcare issues.
“It shouldn't cause a problem but I think it potentially could be part of the reason [for not being picked].”
Insisting she was not “bitter” about Sampson’s decision, she said: “Everything Mark set for me to do, I’ve managed to meet and, clearly, my personal life and children are not an issue around any of that. I’d never cause them to be.”
She did admit she had not tried to contact Sampson herself, saying: “I don’t know whether I want to. I don’t know whether I want that conversation.
“I’m not worried about what might get said in the slightest. I’m quite open to having conversations. And if I have an opinion, I’m happy to say it. I’ve had conversations with Mark about other issues as well. He’s approachable, you can talk to him.
“Sometimes, when you have a conversation, you don’t come out clear. I feel like you think you’ve got out what you need to say [but] you feel like you’re in the same place and, ‘I don’t know what you really want from me’.
“So I’ve struggled a little bit from that situation. But, instead of driving myself mad, I’ve pulled myself back from that and focused on my Chelsea career.
“I would love to represent my country but feel I’ve gone too far now to fight it anymore. It’s his decision.”
That would mean being denied earning 100 caps but Chapman said: “I protect my children to the hilt. I’ll tell my kids it is not because of them - and it is not because of them. They have done nothing wrong.”
The FA declined to comment.