06 November 2020

Arsenal and Netherlands striker Miedema praises incoming England manager Wiegman

Arsenal striker Vivianne Miedema believes Netherlands coach Sarina Wiegman’s decision to take the England job gives her a  ‘good opportunity’ to show what she can do with a different national team.

Wiegman led Miedema and the rest of the Dutch squad to victory at their home European Championships in 2017 and also took them to the 2019 World Cup Final where they were beaten by the USA.

Earlier this year it was revealed she will succeed Phil Neville as the Lionesses boss after next year’s Olympic Games, which she will compete in with The Netherlands.

Miedema and Wiegman won the 2017 European Championships with The Netherlands (PA Images)

And Miedema, who was a part of the Dutch side that in just two years went from defeat in the last 16 of the 2015 World Cup to lifting the Euro 2017 trophy, feels Wiegman could be a good fit for England.

"In 2017, we didn't have the biggest players, but we managed to win the Euros as a group," she told BBC Sport. "She's definitely good in that respect - she'll bring that to England too."

"If you have a group with a lot of talent in but you can't work together, then there's no use of the talent.

"She's a really clear coach. She knows how she wants to play. It comes back to the tactics.

"Coming in after the difficult World Cup we had in 2015, she knew what she had to change.

"It's going to be exciting for England to see how well she does. Obviously I hope it's not as well as she has done with us and we're going to win the Euros instead of England, but it will be a good opportunity for her and for England."

England reached the semi-finals of the World Cup last year before losing 2-1 to eventual champions USA.

The next major tournament Euro 2022, which was postponed by 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic, will take place in England.

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