IAN HERBERT: Has Sarina Wiegman met her match in ‘David Brent’? It’s chalk and cheese as Mrs Cool collides with bonkers Matildas boss Tony Gustavsson in World Cup semi-final

It was strictly Pom and Aussie business 20 years ago when Eddie Jones and Sir Clive Woodward sent teams of their compatriots to the Rugby World Cup final. Today in the same stadium there is a curious coaching clash between Swede and the Netherlands. Chalk and cheese, you say.

The theater of the pre-match press conference can sometimes seem like a serious inconvenience to Sarina Wiegman, who, towards the end of a half-hour conversation yesterday, seemed startled to be asked if the eve of a World Cup semi-final was a time to ‘enjoy the joy’.

She left it to her captain, Millie Bright, to answer, before the question stubbornly came back to her. ‘Do you want me to…?’ she said, finally stating, “If we win, I enjoy it very much.”

Her Swedish counterpart, Tony Gustavsson, was the one having all the fun, throwing a few grenades at the England women’s football team receiving more money than Australian football as a whole.

It was then revealed that two England players were successfully targeted in Australia’s 2-0 friendly victory over Wiegman’s team in April.

Wiegman takes on Australia’s Swedish coach Tony Gustavsson (pictured)

The Lionesses were preparing for the game at Stadium Australia in Sydney on Tuesday

One of the two would be defender Jess Carter, whom the Matildas repeatedly isolated when winger Hayley Raso gave her a difficult time on the right flank.

There was something equally carefree about Gustavsson’s keeper, Mackenzie Arnold, being asked if Australian streets were named after her.

“I’ve had to block it because I know if I play like shit tomorrow it could be a completely different reaction,” she said. You thanked someone for dispensing with the usual caution of these staged events.

There is certainly something from the David Brent to Gustavsson, who was a game away from being dismissed 17 days ago when Australia played Canada.

Wiegman seemed to let go of some emotion for a moment when the idea of ​​Australia’s greatest threat emerged.

“Australia isn’t just Sam Kerr,” she replied. But her about half an hour in the camera’s gaze was very different from her predecessor Phil Neville, who could be self-deprecating, inspirational, emotional, unintentionally comedic and wasted a lot of energy in moments like this.

“Grab it with both arms, both legs, all your body,” was his message to the team four years ago before the semi-final against the United States.

The 53-year-old’s cool, rational management and unwillingness to hold a monologue when a punishment suffices now seems to apply. From the first day working with her, Wiegman’s England players have been struck by her insistence that they have the brains to decide what to do with the ball.

“She has this thing where the player on the ball is the one who makes the decision and you’re in control,” Bright said last summer.

“That’s one thing I loved about her coming. You don’t feel pressured to play a particular pass. If it’s wrong, you’ll make a better decision next time. It gives me confidence.’

Millie Bright (left) and Wiegman (right) spoke to Bright ahead of the game and claimed her manager’s philosophies ‘give her confidence’

Wiegman also spoke about their opponents, saying ‘Australia isn’t just Sam Kerr’ (centre)

This was a point Wiegman emphasized during the most expansive moment of her press conference. “The players make their own decisions and adapt to each situation,” she said. “Of course things go wrong, but they do. You just take the next action.’

Tensions were still running here last night. Australian cricketer David Warner weighed in on a dig over the ball change in the fifth Ashes test at the Oval. “Just keep an eye out in case the Poms ask to switch the ball,” he tweeted.

The country’s Daily Telegraph sent a helicopter into enemy territory. “If the Lionesses of England thought they would happily fly into the semi-finals of the World Cup under the radar, they were in for a rude shock,” he said. “We’ve sent the helicopter to see how the old enemy is preparing.”

Gustavsson enjoyed the attention. Wiegman rose above it. “We’re ready,” she said. “You just focus on what you have control over.”