Chelsea doctor Eva Carneiro considers legal action after leaving post

Chelsea Football Club’s doctor, Eva Carneiro, is believed to have left her job and is preparing to sue the Premier League champions for constructive dismissal following an incident during the game against Swansea last month that led to her first-team duties downgraded at the request of the manager, José Mourinho.

Carneiro was due to return to work last Friday having been told she was no longer to attend training sessions, matches or enter the team hotel after provoking Mourinho’s anger when she and the physiotherapist, Jon Fearn, ran on to treat Eden Hazard during injury-time of the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on 8 August.

However, it is understood that she has not been seen at the club’s training ground and is now considering her legal position. Chelsea have so far declined to comment on what they described as “an internal staffing matter”.

Gibraltar-born Carneiro is reported to have sought advice from a London law firm over the past few weeks, although they too refused to comment on Tuesday. But she is likely to have a strong case given that she and Fearn were twice waved on to the pitch by referee Michael Oliver to treat Hazard, causing Mourinho to accuse the medics of being “naive”.

Employment law expert Nick Wilcox told the Guardian last month that Mourinho’s public criticism of Carneiro – which was condemned by the Premier League Doctors’ Group – appears “disproportionate” and could amount to “public humiliation” which breaches Chelsea’s duties as her employer. He pointed to the law governing employment relationships, which says: “The employer must not, without reasonable and proper cause, conduct itself in a manner calculated and likely to destroy or seriously damage the relationship of trust and confidence between employer and employee.”

Last week the Football Association confirmed it is investigating a complaint that Mourinho used abusive language during the incident. Under rule E3, players and coaches can be penalised for using “offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures”, with Mourinho facing up to a five-match ban if he is found guilty.

“We understand that the manager allegedly calls Eva ‘Filha da Puta’ at pitchside,” read the complaint, according to the Daily Mail. “The abuse is allegedly directed to her because ‘Filha’ is feminine and singular in Portuguese and to be directed at a man or at a group of people would have to be ‘Filho’ or ‘Filhos’. Additionally it could be considered that the offensive comment was aimed at the club doctor specifically as she speaks Portuguese... the equivalent to this expression in English would be ‘son of a bitch’ in the masculine, but ‘daughter of a whore’ in the feminine.”

Mourinho has denied the accusation.

The chair of the FA’s inclusion advisory board, Heather Rabbatts, has expressed her “sadness and anger” at news of Carneiro’s departure. “Eva was one of the few very senior women in the game, a highly respected doctor who has acted with professional integrity in difficult circumstances and whose skills have been highly praised,” she said.

A spokesperson for Women in Football added: “We are bitterly disappointed about the departure of Dr Eva Carneiro from Chelsea FC. When Dr Carneiro entered the field of play on August 8th to treat Eden Hazard - who had requested medical attention via the referee - she fully complied with the laws of the game as well as the guidance of the General Medical Council.

“We believe it is appalling that her professionalism and understanding of football were subsequently called into question by manager José Mourinho and it threatened to undermine her professional reputation. She is extremely highly regarded within the medical profession and the football industry.

“Mr Mourinho’s touchline and post-match behaviour that day is currently the subject of a Football Association investigation. This incident and Dr Carneiro’s subsequent demotion has made her position untenable.

“She had already been the target of frequent sexist abuse from opposition supporters. We believe that every woman in the football industry has the right to go about their working lives without being targeted with or subjected to abuse.

“We also believe that Dr Carneiro’s treatment and ultimate departure from Chelsea FC sends out a worrying and alienating message to the already small numbers of female medical staff working in the national game.

“WiF hope that by working with football authorities and clubs we can bring about a greater understanding of the barriers that women in the industry routinely face.”

Wayne Rooney: I’ll never turn down England unless my body gives up

Speaking before the Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland, Wayne Rooney said: ‘I’d be disappointed if I ended my England career on 50 goals. I want to score as many as I can.’ Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Wayne Rooney has said he will always be available to England, insisting it will be up to the manager to call time eventually on his international career, as he seeks to establish a new national goalscoring record which endures for generations.

The Manchester United striker will move clear of Sir Bobby Charlton at the top of the national team’s scoring charts, and become the 44th player with 50 goals for his country, if he registers against Switzerland on Tuesday. Rooney, who also suggested he had made his peace with Sir Alex Ferguson after the breakdown of their relationship towards the end of the Scot’s tenure at Old Trafford, believes he has an active role to play with the England team through to the 2018 World Cup and, potentially, beyond.

“I feel I’ve got still quite a lot of games left to play for England,” said the striker. “If I was sat here saying ‘I just want to get 50 goals’, then I’d be lying. I’d be disappointed if I ended my England career on 50 goals. I want to kick on and try to score as many goals as I can. I’ve still got plenty of games to do that. Hopefully by the time I finish playing it will be more goals than 50. As long as the manager wants me, then I will be available to play.

“Realistically 2018 is a target for me, to go and play that World Cup, and then we will see what happens in terms of the manager or myself. I’ll listen to my body but, if I still feel 100% fit for England and I can do my job, then we will see what happens after that.

“If I feel I can carry on, I’ll try. But I won’t be one to say I’m not available for selection. I’m sure it’ll probably be the manager’s choice more than mine. It’s a huge honour to play for England and I imagine it’ll be difficult to say I’m ready not to play.”

Rooney admitted there had been “differences” of opinion with Ferguson back in 2013-14, the manager’s last season at United, with their relationship having deteriorated after the striker was played out of position following Robin van Persie’s arrival at the club. He was omitted from the second leg of a Champions League knockout tie against Real Madrid and subsequently made clear his desire to leave Old Trafford, a reality made public by Sir Alex before his final home game in charge. Chelsea attempted to sign him that summer before the player opted instead to sign a new long-term deal worth £300,000 a week.

“We had differences [of opinion] but that’s normal,” said Rooney. “Ask Roy [Hodgson]. He’s had differences with players over the years, too. That’s part of football. I’m not the only person who had differences with Sir Alex Ferguson but I can still sit here and say he was the greatest manager of all time.

“I still see Sir Alex quite a bit at games and he travels away to European games with us. It’s not that we don’t like each other. We just had differences. That’s normal.”

Hodgson will recall Raheem Sterling, Gary Cahill and Chris Smalling, all of whom missed the 6-0 win in San Marino last Saturday which confirmed Englandas the first side to qualify for Euro 2016 from the groups, but the manager has lost Michael Carrick with a calf injury which he sustained in the warm-up in Serravalle.

“It’s a major blow, not only to us but to Michael, who was looking forward to coming back,” said the manager, who has been able to start a game with the Manchester United midfielder only once in almost two years. “I hope it won’t be a recurring injury but it’s not the time to make a judgment. He might get over this very quickly and go on to play a big part for United and hardly miss a game.”

Nathaniel Clyne is expected to retain his place at right-back, with John Stones dropping to the bench.

England’s preparations for the tournament will include a friendly against Spain on 13 November – four days before the visit of France to Wembley – in Alicante’s 30,000 capacity José Rico Pérez stadium if the holders do not require a play-off to qualify for the tournament. The Football Association has lined up another high-profile game against Germany in Berlin and will also play Holland next March.