England's Future Hinges on Sarina Wiegman's Success: Georgia Stanway Reveals the Key to Women's World Cup Triumph
England midfielder Georgia Stanway talks about the heartbreak of the World Cup final, the remarkable growth of women's football, missing the support of England fans at Heathrow, and shares her advice for Harry Kane in Munich
Georgia Stanway insists that England should retain the services of Sarina Wiegman, referring to her as "amazing" and "class," amidst ongoing speculation surrounding the future of the Lionesses' manager. Wiegman, who has guided both England and the Netherlands to the finals of the past four significant tournaments, is strongly rumored to be a potential candidate for the United States job.
The Dutch coach is under contract with the English FA until 2025 and has expressed her commitment to fulfilling that agreement. In an exclusive interview with We News, England midfielder Stanway emphasizes the significance of having her as their national team coach.
"We rely on her. We truly rely on her," Stanway affirms. "She has achieved remarkable success both with the Netherlands and here in England."
It's incredible to be a female coach and to inspire other female coaches. Achieving four major finals in the past four tournaments is truly impressive. Despite being considered as a potential replacement for Gareth Southgate in managing the England men's national team, Stanway maintains that the women's game should be valued in its own right, without being seen as a mere stepping stone.
"We, as female footballers, are determined to make the women's game stand on its own merits, rather than just being seen as a pathway to the men's game," she asserts. "We want people to appreciate and take pleasure in the fact that we play football and derive immense joy from it, just like the coaches do.
"We refuse to be considered a mere stepping stone; instead, we strive to elevate and promote the women's game to receive the recognition it deserves. We will persist in overcoming obstacles and pushing boundaries, always exploring new possibilities and making our mark."
Stanway on... World Cup final heartbreak
Stanway's interview with We News covered various topics, including her thoughts on England's 1-0 loss to Spain in the Women's World Cup final."We were defeated by a superior team, which is acceptable because we acknowledged their prowess during the game. Although we exerted significant pressure on them in the second half, we failed to score. Finishing in second place fills me with immense pride, and I am grateful for my youth as it leaves open the possibility of participating in another World Cup in the future."
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England came in second place at the Women's World Cup after a defeat to Spain. It was a challenging game for us as Spain effectively maneuvered the ball, making it difficult for us to regain possession. In the first half, I found myself caught in a few triangles, which created further difficulties for our team. Spain's ability to overload us in both the central and wide areas caused us significant issues, and we were unable to apply pressure on the ball. Even after changing our formation to 4-3-3 in the second half, we were unfortunate not to score a goal. Spain showcased their exceptional defensive skills in addition to their impressive passing abilities.
Stanway on... the growth of the women's game
Stanway also emphasized the growth of the women's game following this World Cup, wherein traditional powerhouses like Germany and the United States were eliminated prematurely. Meanwhile, underdog teams such as Colombia, Haiti, and Nigeria thrived...We gradually improved throughout the tournament, securing our place through our performance in the games. This progression was crucial for us. It is crucial not to exhaust our top strategies in the initial matches.
Surprisingly, the teams that were eliminated in the group stages and had to leave early were the teams that no one anticipated. Therefore, as the Lionesses, achieving occasional 1-0 victories is truly significant and impressive.
Stanway on... missing England fans at Heathrow
: The competition is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly fierce. As a global event like the World Cup, the outcomes are utterly unpredictable. Each participant eagerly strives to make a grand impression.Stanway acknowledged the criticism directed at the Lionesses for not being able to meet their dedicated supporters at Heathrow Airport upon their return from Australia.
Stanway on... Munich advice for Kane!
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Harry Kane has joined Stanway as an England international playing for Bayern Munich
Finally, Stanway, who currently plays for Bayern Munich in her club football, offered some advice to England men's team captain Harry Kane, who recently completed a £100m transfer to the club from Tottenham...
"We will be sharing the same German teacher! However, I hope he has better luck with the language because I have been learning for a year and still haven't had that breakthrough. The teacher keeps reassuring me, 'It will come, it will come'. But after a year, I am still nowhere near fluent. I wish him the best of luck and hopefully, I'll be able to attend a game at the Allianz Arena to watch him play."
"The city is lovely, the people are lovely, the German culture is so open and welcoming and I'm sure he will feel at home straight away."
