Sarina Wiegman gives emphatic response to USA links ahead of World Cup final

18 August 2023 , 11:00

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Sarina Wiegman says she has no plans to walkout on England.

Ahead of the country’s first senior World Cup final in 57 years, the Dutch coach was adamant she wants to remain with the Lionesses. Rumours from the United States suggest that the 53-year-old top of the list to replace Vlatko Andonovski after the Serbian was sacked following the exit of the four-time winners in the Round of 16.

But she scotched those, saying: “I have a contract until 2025. I’m really enjoying my job and I have the impression that people still like me doing that job. I have no plans to leave.”

Asked if she had heard the chatter from across the Pond, she replied: “I’m staying out of that. I’ve heard it. I’m with England, I’m really happy with England and I have a contract until 2025.”

Wiegman also has a track record for loyalty. She accepted the job in August 2020 but refused to break her deal with the Dutch Olympic side who she took to the Tokyo games 12 months later, stepping into her role at Wembley four weeks after returning from the Far East.

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And she was given a huge vote of confidence by Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham who said he wanted to work with her for ‘a long time.’

Asked whether she understood the country’s obsession with ending 57 years of hurt, she replied: “I don’t hear it that much because I block out all the noise. But I do know it’s there.

England boss Sarina Wiegman says she has no intention of leaving her post anytime soon

“When we started work in September ’21, I felt the country was so desperate to win a final tournament. Everyone was saying that - the players were saying it, too. I thought: 'This is very weird.'

“Everyone wanted to win. I just thought to myself: ‘Okay, what do we have to do? And how can we win? We all want to win.’

“I thought: ‘Stop talking about the results because we know what we want.’ So what action do we have to take? And we took it. So now everyone is talking about 1966 - so let’s be at our best and hopefully be successful.

“One more thing - football is so big in England, it’s so into the culture. That’s incredible to experience. It’s everywhere - and that’s pretty cool too.”

Bullingham, speaking ahead of Sunday's final with Spain said that he hoped Wiegman would remain in her position long-term, but hinted she may be in discussion to replace Gareth Southgate as the men's national team coach. Southgate's current deal is due to expire in 2025 and the FA chief admitted it would be an interesting conversation if she ever wanted to throw her hat in the ring.

He said: “I don’t like the language, ‘it should be the best man for the job’. I think it’s the best person for the job. Do I think football is behind other sports in terms of a lack of female coaches at the top level? I do. I think that has to change and the third part of it is do I think Sarina could do any job in football? Yes, I do.

“I’m really happy with the job she’s doing and I hope she stays doing that for a long time. If at some point in the future she decides she wants to move into the men’s game, that would be a really interesting discussion. But that’s for her, right?”