Wiegman succeeds Van der Laan as Netherlands coach
Friday, January 13, 2017
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Former assistant Sarina Wiegman has been confirmed as coach of UEFA Women's EURO 2017 hosts the Netherlands following the departure of Arjan van der Laan.
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Sarina Wiegman has been confirmed as head coach of UEFA Women's EURO 2017 hosts the Netherlands.
Wiegman, 47, has been in caretaker charge since the departure of Arjan van der Laan last month and has now signed a contract until summer 2019. She had been assistant since August 2014, first to Roger Reijners as the Netherlands played at their first FIFA Women's World Cup in 2015, then under Van der Laan.
"In two and a half years as assistant coach I have experienced how talented and ambitious this squad are, especially now with a European Championship at home looming," said Wiegman, whose coaching team has been joined by Foppe de Haan. "We know exactly what steps we still need to take to perform at the European Championship and I look forward to getting started."
Capped 104 times by the Netherlands, Wiegman won Dutch titles as a player with Ter Leede and as coach of ADO Den Haag. Alongside her national-team role she has been working as a youth coach with Sparta Rotterdam.
Earlier this week Wiegman named a squad for a ten-day training camp in Spain which begins on Monday. They will play friendlies against Romania on 20 January and Russia four days later. In March the Netherlands take part in the Algarve Cup as they continue to prepare for the UEFA Women's EURO finals, which they open in Utrecht against Norway on 16 July, with Denmark and Belgium also in Group A.