Sexist backlash against Sarina Wiegman coaching the men’s England team is insane

‘It’s never coming home now’

9 months ago

The Lionesses did something no England squad has done since 1966 on Wednesday: Reached the World Cup final. Players were crying, fans were screaming— after 57 years of stomach-churning disappointment, the 1-3 victory against host nation Australia felt like a fever dream.

But this isn’t a rare occasion for 53-year-old coach Sarina Wiegman, who took England to victory in the historic Women’s Euros last summer. In 2019, she coached her home nation – the Netherlands – to the World Cup final against the US. So, with England’s latest win, she became the first coach in history to take two different countries to a World Cup final— male or female.

Credit: DAN HIMBRECHTS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Essentially, this makes her football coaching royalty. And yesterday, Football Association [FA] chief Mark Bullingham hinted Sarina would be in the running to replace Gareth Southgate and coach the England men’s team when his contract runs out next year:

“I don’t like the language, ‘it should be the best man for the job’,” Mark told reporters of the position. “I think it’s the best person for the job…Do I think Sarina could do any job in football? Yes, I do,” he added. “I don’t like the mindset that it has to be a man.”

But Twitter didn’t agree with Mark and the sexist backlash was eye-wateringly strong despite Sarina’s many and momentous accolades. “This is the biggest joke I’ve heard today,” wrote one user in the comments. “It’s never coming home then,” added another. “We are finished,” claimed a third, with many more men piling on with opinions too horrible to repeat here.

Credit: Kim Price/CSM/Shutterstock

Sarina Wiegman’s England team has been ambitious, determined, stylistically and tactically remarkable. It’s ridiculous to claim- just because she’s a woman – she can’t transfer her overwhelmingly evident prowess and tenacity onto a men’s team without abuse. Like…don’t you guys want to win for once? Wouldn’t a trophy be nice?

Men have long coached women’s football teams— even in this year’s Women’s World Cup only 12 out of 32 countries have had female coaches. But the reverse is only just being seen: Lioness Jill Scott only secured a youth coach role across boys’ and girls’ teams at Man City this March.

Credit: CHINE NOUVELLE/SIPA/Shutterstock

Online bullying of elite female athletes for daring to take up space in men’s sport is fundamentally illogical and vile. The Lions would be lucky to have Sarina Wiegman. But, actually, despite knowing she certainly and successfully could coach the men’s team, I hope she never does.

As Chelsea Women’s manager and winner of the Women’s FA Cup, Emma Hayes, told reporters after Wednesday’s win: “Sarina is a fabulous manager and England Women’s National Team are deserving of her. The women’s game deserves to have the best coaches, too. So, long may that continue.”