Walsh is back but England boss is tempted to stick with winning team

KATHRYN BATTE: Sarina’s big call! World-class Keira Walsh is back but England boss is tempted to stick with new look Lionesses ahead of Nigeria clash in World Cup last-16

• Keira Walsh is back training, but questions for the last-16 remain for Wiegman 
• Sarina Wiegman is now the only female manager left at the Women’s World Cup
• Nigeria present a new range of threats and challenges to new-look England side 

Twelve female managers entered this World Cup but only one remains. 

England boss Sarina Wiegman is the last woman standing. Her aim is to be the coach lifting the trophy on August 20. But before she, or England, can even think about that, they must navigate a tricky last-16 tie with Nigeria this morning. 

The African side have already proven they can cause an upset. They beat co-hosts Australia and drew with Olympic champions Canada to progress from Group B at the latter’s expense. 

Remarkably, they did it all while their manager was in an open war of words with his employers, the Nigerian Football Federation, and after players had threatened to boycott their opening game. 

Nigeria have shown they are quick, skilful and powerful, as well as defensively organised. And you could argue they have less to lose. As European champions, all the pressure is on England. 

Keira Walsh has been seen training again, but England boss Wiegman has a tough decision to face ahead of England’s knockouts vs Nigeria following the success of the 3-4-1-2 formation

12 female managers entered the World Cup but only one remains: Sarina Wiegman 

The Lionesses have shown they can handle those expectations, while Wiegman has proven her credentials as a manager time and time again. 

Her latest tactical masterstroke was the decision to switch from her traditional 4-3-3 formation to a 3-4-1-2 against China. England had started to look too predictable.

They were struggling for goals and needed a solution for playing without the injured Keira Walsh. 

Wiegman’s formation and decision to bring in Katie Zelem, which few expected, worked to perfection. But ahead of today’s knockout game, she faces a difficult dilemma. 

With Walsh now fit, does she change a winning team to bring her star midfielder back into the fold? 

Walsh is one of, if not the, best holding midfielder in the world. When she is fit, it is a certainty she will start. But if there is any doubt over her fitness then it would be a huge risk to bring her back straight away. 

There is also the question of whether restoring Walsh to the team would see England revert to their usual 4-3-3. There is a strong argument to stick with playing three at the back after it worked so well against China. 

Wiegman remained tight-lipped over Walsh’s fitness and whether she would consider playing her in England’s new-look system. 

Wiegman pointed to Alex Greenwood as a potential future manager in the media conference

Wiegman remained tight-lipped over Walsh’s fitness and whether she would consider playing her in England’s new-look system, though the team will not want to risk Walsh’s fitness

Asisat Oshoala provides a whole new set of challenges for the Lionesses as the forward comes with bags of pace and power in attack, though club mate Lucy Bronze will know all about her

The Lionesses’ 6-1 victory against China sent them straight into the knockouts 

‘We have two options now,’ she said. ‘The way we play and what we did against China. We have taken it into consideration and you’ll see what we do.’ 

That Wiegman is the only female manager left at this World Cup speaks volumes for her ability. Four, including Wiegman, made it to the knockout rounds but the other three — Norway’s Hege Riise, South Africa’s Desiree Ellis and Switzerland’s Inka Grings — have all been eliminated in the last three days. 

NIGERIA’S THREE THREATS

Asisat Oshoala: The Barcelona forward, 28, faces a late fitness test but will provide pace and power in attack, should she start. Her club team-mate Lucy Bronze knows all about the forward but keeping her quiet will be tough.

Ashleigh Plumptre: The 25-year-old defender has played with several of England’s team, having represented the Lionesses from Under 17s to Under 23s. Will look to thwart the attacking threat of Lauren James and Alessia Russo 

Chiamaka Nnadozie: She saved a crucial penalty from Canada’s Christine Sinclair and has produced a series of impressive saves throughout the tournament. England will need to be clinical to beat the Nigeria goalkeeper, 22. 

Wiegman was praised by former USA boss and two-time World Cup winner Jill Ellis for her tactical change against China. ‘It was a masterful move and I certainly think we’ll see more of that,’ Ellis said. 

‘It’s a sign of the times that coaches who are more flexible in their tactical set-ups and making in-game adjustments will be more successful. Gone are the days where you can just stick with what you’ve been doing.’

But when it was pointed out to Wiegman that she is the only remaining female coach, she highlighted a lack of opportunities. 

Nigeria manager Randy Waldrum had earlier spoken about there still being an ‘old boys club’ mentality while Wiegman pointed to Alex Greenwood, who joined her for pre-match media duties, as a potential future manager. 

‘It’s not a competition to be a female coach in the tournament,’ Wiegman said. ‘Before the tournament we started with 20 male and 12 female coaches. 

What we hope is that the balance gets right in the future. ‘We are all working on that in England and in other countries too, to get real opportunities to give more women in the game and hopefully also more coaches. 

‘I hope in the future, but not too soon, she (Greenwood) will be coaching at some point and the balance gets right. 

‘Of course I had hoped more female coaches would be in the tournament.’ Wiegman is hoping she will not follow the other three female managers who made it to the knockout stage of this World Cup. 

The England manager does not need to prove she is an elite coach — she has done that already. But she wants to be the best and so does her team. 

Win four more games and they will be. Wiegman, as all the great managers do, will only be focusing on today’s task. Beat Nigeria and stay standing. 

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