da brdice： The Lionesses have lost just once under the Dutchwoman, who has led teams to three successive finals at major tournaments, winning two of them
da gbg bet： It’s late June and England’s Lionesses are talking to the press in the traditional whole-squad media day that takes place before each major tournament. As a handful of journalists huddle around Georgia Stanway, there are a lot of questions about Germany, the midfielder having just won the Bundesliga title in her first season with Bayern Munich.
But when one journalist asks if England head coach Sarina Wiegman might tap into her expertise should the two nations meet in the quarter-finals of the Women's World Cup, Stanway is dismissive.
“To be fair, Sarina probably knows everything already,” she says. “She probably knows more than me. She’s a genius that way.” It’s a response that sums up the way the Dutchwoman is viewed by the players she is taking to Australia.
There are a lot of fantastic coaches at this tournament but Wiegman, three times named the Best FIFA Women's Coach, is right up there – and there are a lot of reasons why that is the case.
GettyPlenty of pedigree
After a playing career that brought her 99 international caps, Wiegman took up her first coaching role at the age of 37 with Ter Leede, her first full season with the club ending with a league and cup double. Her time with ADO Den Haag in the newly-formed Eredivisie brought her three more major titles, before the Dutch Football Association came calling.
Wiegman would assist the senior national team, coordinate the Under-19s side and be interim head coach across three years, before finally landing the top job in January 2017 – six months before her country were set to host the European Championship.
The Oranje were not in a good place. Recent results had been poor and morale was low, but Wiegman quickly set about her work and it paid off in the most remarkable fashion. The Netherlands had only played at three major tournaments in the history of the women’s team, but at Euro 2017, they won every single game to be crowned European champions on home soil.
It was an achievement that thrust Wiegman into the limelight and one she has backed up massively in the last few years. In 2019, she led the Netherlands to a World Cup final on their second-ever appearance at the tournament.
Then, in 2021, she took charge of England and would be unbeaten in her first 30 matches with the Lionesses, winning the Euros and the Finalissima in that time. After so many semi-final defeats, the nation is now fully established on the world stage.
AdvertisementGettyGetting the best from her players
So, what makes Wiegman so great? So many players cite her as being able to get the best out of her players. But how does she do it?
“She's always pushing us, whether that's on the pitch, off the pitch, in meetings and things like that,” explained winger Lauren Hemp. “I feel like for me personally, I'm always learning. There's always something that I don't know that she's bringing to the table, that she's explaining to me. I never go into a training session where I don't feel like I'm getting something out of it.
“She knows exactly what she wants and she's always pushing us to be that bit better. Like, 'Yeah, that's the level now but now you need to get higher than that'. We're always pushing on and wanting to do better and Sarina is the driver of that.”
“I think it’s her directness,” said Chelsea defender Jess Carter. “[She and her staff] have a way they want to play and we all get on board with that. It makes it easier going out onto the pitch.
“When we are trying to get different players from different squads to gel together, she’s like, ‘This is how we want to play, these are our values’. It’s that directness. She knows what she wants and she lets us know that really well.”
“What you see is what you get,” added Ella Toone. “Direct but just a leader and someone who is very caring and wants the best for each of us. She really pushes us to be the best. I think the main thing Sarina always says is to make sure we enjoy ourselves.”
GettyWilling to be challenged
Another thing that defender Lucy Bronze highlighted when talking about Wiegman, though, was how the players also have an input on what she wants. She might be concise and to the point – but those points can change.
“They are both very open to being challenged, whether that’s from each other or us,” Bronze said, talking about the head coach and her assistant, Arjan Veurink. “They’re always open to hearing what you have to say.
“Sarina is very head-strong and she knows what she wants and she knows what she likes to do, but at the same time she’s very open to hearing opinions and other experiences. For me personally, that’s what I’ve got out of working with the pair of them.”
Given the experience within this England squad – featuring a four-time Champions League winner like Bronze, four players who just did a league and cup double with Chelsea, and Keira Walsh and Georgia Stanway, who both just won titles abroad this past season – that’s a real positive.
Why would you not want players like that contributing to the way the team is set up?
GettyPart of a fantastic duo
It’s not just about Wiegman herself, though. It’s also about the people that she has surrounded herself with.
The main man alongside the Dutchwoman is Veurink, who used to stand in the opposition dugout for Twente and battle Wiegman for titles. The pair have since struck up a formidable partnership on the international stage, winning the Euros in 2017 and reaching the 2019 World Cup final before moving to England together.
“He’s a great guy – very reserved,” said defender Alex Greenwood. “I really get on with him. He loves football as much as I do and his knowledge of the game is incredible. The way he sees the game is similar to the way I see it, so most of our conversation is just about tactics and football and disagreements and agreements on what we think the game should be played like. He’s so important to this team.”
“He thinks he’s quite funny,” Carter added. “He thinks he’s a jokester. I think he’s great. He and Sarina work really well together – but I think all of our staff do.”