LIONESSES’ EURO TRIPP
Boss Wiegman calls on Three Lions Kieran and Rice for home help: It’s good to share...
SARINA WIEGMAN has turned to Declan Rice and Kieran Trippier for tips on how to cope with the pressure of playing a home tournament, saying, “It’s good to share”.
The England Lionesses head coach tapped into the duo’s experiences from last year’s European Championship as she honed her preparations for next month’s Women’s Euros.
England will kick-off their tournament with a group A clash against Austria at Old Trafford and Wiegman wanted to give her 23-strong squad a taste of what they can expect.
And so she invited the pair – part of Gareth Southgate’s squad who lost the Euros final to Italy in a penalty shoot-out – for a coffee and chat to brief the Lionesses.
She said: “What we wanted to do was have a chat and share experiences. I think it helps.
Sharing
“We wanted to know what they experienced, on and off the pitch. We had an introduction and then the players got into little chats.
“That’s gives us a connection between the men’s and women’s teams – but it’s also about what I said, sharing.
“That’s always good because you can pick out something. Maybe you don’t hear anything new but it’s just one thing that could help one or two per cent in tournaments.”
The two senior teams were working cheek by jowl at St George’s Park this week. Gareth Southgate’s side had two matches at nearby Molineux. The Lionesses played at the same venue on Thursday in one of three final friendlies before their Euros get underway on July 6.
Trippier and Rice were happy to pass on any knowledge they could. Wiegman added: “They talked a lot about social media, about fans, about the shoot-out and how they prepared for that.
“I think dealing with social media – and the media – is a big thing. We do have plans in place, but it’s good to hear from those who have experienced it.
“We do have players in our own squad who have done so much – but we also have those who haven’t, because they are so young.
“It was a nice, informal chat with them. It wasn’t being like being in a classroom where you are being dictated to, it was just about having a conversation.”
Wiegman succeeded Phil Neville as Lioness boss last September, with the tournament success she enjoyed with Holland a key part of what she brings.
She led the Dutch to victory on their own soil in the 2017 European Championship and to the final of the World Cup two years later where they were defeated by the United States.
However, she feels the expectation is higher here than in her homeland. She said: “I’ve experienced expectation. From the European Championship to the World Cup, the expectations were very high.
“But the expectations are a lot higher here than they were for Holland in 2017.
“That’s the stage where English football is at.
“We think we have a very good team. We really just have to work and do our utmost to be prepared as well as possible.”