'I don't want to interrupt him or be a pain for him. He just needs to do his job well, he is responsible' - Netherlands head coach Wiegman on Neville
Thursday 20 August 2020 06:06, UK
Incoming England head coach Sarina Wiegman insists she will not interfere with Phil Neville while he remains in charge of the Lionesses, but will be keeping a "close eye" on the team's progress.
Wiegman will succeed Neville as England head coach in September 2021, joining on a four-year deal following the Netherlands' campaign at the postponed Tokyo Olympics next summer.
"Phil has responsibility for his team for the upcoming 12 months and I will absolutely respect that," said Wiegman, who led the Dutch to the Euro 2017 title and World Cup 2019 final, at a news conference on Wednesday.
"I will get some information but I will be completely in the background and the last thing I would want to do would be to interfere with his work. But, of course, I will have a close look because I will jump in in 2021.
"I have the responsibility of the Dutch national team and that's my main focus. But I will get some information [about the England team].
Asked if there will be any difficulties with that, Wiegman continued: "I'm not going to interfere with him at all.
"I don't want to interrupt him or be a pain for him. He just needs to do his job well, he is responsible. I'm not responsible yet - I'm responsible for the Dutch national team for the upcoming 12 months."
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports News, Wiegman was pressed on how her relationship with Neville will work over the next year or so.
She said she is yet to speak with Neville and is only planning to do so when she makes her "transition" from Netherlands head coach to England boss.
"For now I will just let him do his job and he will let me do my job," Wiegman said.
"I'll have a close eye on England, too, but I always have a close eye on other countries and other players because you want to follow the development of players."
At the news conference, Wiegman was also asked if she had already reached out to any of the England players or been added to any Whatsapp groups involving the squad since accepting the role.
"I haven't started yet," she added. "That wouldn't be fair, or polite either. Absolutely not."
Wiegman remains as the head coach of the women's Dutch national team for the next 13 months and could come up against Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
The 50-year-old insists she would feel "no conflict of interest" coming up against a team packed with England players as she would have all her focus on winning the game.
Asked if it would be a dream scenario to play Team GB in the final at Tokyo, Wiegman said: "I would be really happy to get to the final, so we all have a gold or a silver medal.
"I'm then in charge of the Netherlands and I would do everything to win that game with my team. That's sport, that is a part of it.
"It would be very special for the players because we have some players that play in England and the England and Great Britain players very well.
"But still it is a game and we want to win every game we play."
