THE FA will vehemently reject any US approach to poach Sarina Wiegman for their vacant women’s team boss role.
Dutch coach Wiegman, 53, will lead England into Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain in Sydney after masterminding last summer’s Euros glory at Wembley.
Her current £400,000-a-year contract runs until the summer of 2025.
And the US are eyeing Wiegman to replace coach Vlatko Andonovski, who quit after the world champs crashed out in the last 16 Down Under.
Asked if the FA would snub any USA approach for three-time Fifa Best award winner Wiegman, chief executive Mark Bullingham replied: “One hundred per cent. It is not about money.
“We are very, very happy with her.
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“We’ve seen lots of rumours, and she is a special talent. She is contracted with England until 2025 and doing a great job.
“We’re huge supporters of her and we’d like to have with us for a very long time.”
The FA are ready to discuss a new deal “at an appropriate time” after this tournament, but won’t offer her pay to match Southgate’s £5million-a-year salary.
Bullingham added: “Over time, there’s where you’ve got to get to.
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“If you look at the disparity in the market and the income coming in, that’s why you’ve got a difference.
“Sarina is, within the market she operates, well paid.
“The men’s game is a different market.
“I really want those markets to merge, but we’re not there yet.”
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Bullingham also refused to rule out the Lionesses coach succeeding Gareth Southgate as the boss of England’s MEN’S team.
Bullingham insisted: “Do I think Sarina could do any job in football? Yes, I do.
“I’m really happy with the job she’s doing and I hope she stays doing that job for a long time.
“If at some point in the future she decides she wants to move into the men’s game, that would be a really interesting discussion but that’s for her, right?”
Asked if she could be seen as a potential successor to Southgate, Bullingham added: “It’s a bit disrespectful of the Lionesses to project it as a step up.
“People always say it is, ‘the best man for the job’ or, ‘the best Englishman’.
Sarina is, within the market she operates, well paid. I really want those markets to merge, but we’re not there yet.
FA chief Mark Bullingham
“Why does it have to be a man? Our answer is always it’s the best person for the job.
“Football is behind other sports in terms of lack of female coaches at the top level, and that has to change.
“Sarina is doing a great job. If she decides in the future to go in a different direction, she’s perfectly capable.
“If and when we get a vacancy in either of our senior men’s or women’s manager positions, we would go for the best person capable of winning matches.”
Wiegman is the first coach – male or female – to lead two different nations to World Cup finals and will be appearing in her FOURTH successive final.
She won the 2017 Euros with her native Netherlands, who she managed in a World Cup final defeat to the USA two years later, before leading England to Euro 2022 triumph.
The Lionesses are set to resume talks concerning World Cup bonuses after negotiations reached a stalemate.
England stars are dismayed some of their rivals receive performance-related bonuses whilst they don’t.
But Bullingham promised: “We’re sorting it after the tournament.”
The FA are also planning a parade when the Lionesses return, while talks are also ongoing surrounding a Wembley statue.
Bullingham said: “We have gone through various permissions, the next stage is working on the design.
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“You can imagine the iconic images that came out of the Euros.
“There are some brilliant things which could be produced.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
