Keira Walsh has revealed the “calm” management of Sarina Wiegman as the secret to England’s success.
England midfielder Walsh also says Wiegman’s inspirational substitutions and use of her squad are major factors as to why the Lionesses can go all the way.
Lionesses boss Wiegman led her native Holland to success when they hosted the Euros five years ago and knows how to handle the extra pressure of a home tournament.
But Wiegman’s relaxed approach has also instilled an extra confidence and belief in her squad as they look to make history as they are now just 90 minutes from a final at Wembley.
Walsh said: “I think even the way she is on the sideline, Sarina is always so calm and I think that influences the team massively.
“I just think it’s just that she’s so relaxed. She doesn’t put pressure on anyone. When you make a mistake in training or in a game, she’s not barking at you on the side. As long as you’re trying to do the right thing and it’s what she’s asked of you, then she’s never going to shout at you.
“I think that’s really important because it gives you the confidence to try things and some of the goals we probably wouldn’t have in the past.
“Her presence and she’s so calm, really positive and even at half time she won’t come in and start screaming.
“She always says the right thing in the right moment and she’s been massively important for us and so have the backroom staff as well as the technical staff. We’re just in a really good place.”
Wiegman is also gaining a reputation as a master tactician. They smashed 14 goals in three Group games but when the game was slipping away against Spain in the quarter finals, her substitutions won through.
She has started all four games in the tournament with the same XI which is unusual in tournament football especially with the demands of games in quick sucecssion.
But when England tired and ran out of ideas against Spain, it was the substitutes who changed and ultimately won the game as it was Alessia Russo’s flick which set up Ella Toone’s equaliser and the others subs also played a major role.
It genuinely is a squad game for the Lionesses and Walsh said: “I think the staff we have behind the team - the physios, sports scientists - are always putting us in the best shape, we do the best recovery to always be ready to play.
“But it’s credit to the whole squad because Alessia and Toone have been unbelievable when they’ve come on. Jill Scott and Keets (Parris), everyone who has come on has made an impact and played a part and they’ve got us to this point and hopefully we can go one step further.”
Walsh says the mood in the country is also helping them believe they can go all the way this summer and even when they went behind to Spain they never lost belief.
She added: “The feeling was always there that we were going to win, that belief and the crowd was massive for us and it’s definitely been a massive part of this whole tournament, having the home crowd behind us.
“I just think we’ve got a really good momentum with us and I hope we can carry that on to the semi final.
“When we pulled up on the coach, the fans were outside and, for me, it’s when we’re singing the national anthem, you can hear it echoing around the stadium and it’s such a special feeling and one we’ve not experienced before because we’ve not had a home tournament.
“But it does give you that little bit of an extra push. Of course every tournament is important but having the home crowd behind you is definitely special and I hope we can continue doing it for the semi final.”
