Wiegman led Netherlands to victory on home soil at Euro 2017 and to the 2019 Women’s World Cup final; will begin England tenure after next summer’s Olympics
Last Updated: 14/08/20 1:11pm
Sarina Wiegman has been named as the new England Women head coach
Sarina Wiegman has been appointed as permanent successor to England Women head coach Phil Neville.
Netherlands head coach Wiegman, who has signed a four-year deal, will remain in her current role through to next summer’s rearranged Olympic Games in Tokyo, before beginning her tenure in September 2021.
Wiegman, who won 104 caps for the Netherlands as a player, guided her country to victory at Euro 2017 and to last year’s World Cup final, where they were beaten by the USA.
“I’m delighted and honoured to join England Women next year,” Wiegman said.
“England is the cradle of football and the major developments in women’s football globally over recent years have been led by The FA. I’m very much looking forward to contributing my experience and expertise to this ambitious team.”
Wiegman guided the Netherlands to victory at Euro 2017
The 50-year-old’s first major tournament with the Lionesses will be the Euros, which were postponed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, on home soil in 2022.
The FA’s chief executive, Mark Bullingham, added: “We are thrilled to have secured Sarina to lead the Lionesses until 2025. She was the outstanding candidate from a very strong field.
“Having won a home EURO in 2017 and leading the Netherlands to the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year, she is a proven winner and we are confident she can take England to the next level, giving us the best possible opportunity of achieving our ambition to win a major tournament.”
Neville announced in April he will leave his position at the end of his three-and-a-half year contract next July.
The FA’s director of women’s football, Sue Campbell, said: “Sarina was our number one choice. She is the perfect cultural fit for us, which is crucially important in building a winning team. Her technical expertise, leadership skills and winning mentality is hugely impressive.”
An announcement on who will take charge of Great Britain at the Games from July 23 to August 8 will be made in due course.
Wiegman in mould of Koeman
0:51 Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan compares Netherlands Women manager Sarina Wiegman to Ronald Koeman with Wiegman in advanced talks to succeed Phil Neville as England Women head coach
Marcel van der Kraan, Sports Editor of De Telegraaf, told Sky Sports News…
“I think if we had to compare her with a men’s coach then I would say she is the Dutch women’s version of Ronald Koeman.
“Tough but not blunt. Outspoken but never rude. Technically one of the best and because of her stature, [through] what she has created with all the success she has had, she has gained huge respect and also managed to pass that on to her players.
“I think that is why she is a driving force not just for the Dutch national team but women’s football in total.”
1:42 England’s Rachel Daly says she would like Neville’s successor to push the side to be the best team in the world
Wiegman the ‘one person’ who can take England to world No 1
“If there is one person who can take the English women’s team to [world No 1] it will be Sarina Wiegman,” Van der Kraan added.
“We don’t send many coaches out in Holland to the world at the highest level who can really achieve things. In England, there have only been a couple – Guus Hiddink, Ronald Koeman and Louis van Gaal had a go, but he found it difficult at Manchester United.
“It proves that when you work in England the media attention is absolutely huge. The expectations from the English public are huge.
“The girls in the English team would expect bigger things from her. Sarina has been proving at international level, at the World Cup whether it was against USA or anywhere else, that she is capable of achieving the biggest things.”
