Middlesbrough Women’s boss Mick Mulhern, a former coach for the England Women’s youth set-up spoke about the players he had coached who are now preparing to play in a World Cup final.
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00:00 England have not been at their best during this World Cup. Narrow wins over
00:04 Haiti and Denmark in the group stages and a nail-biting penalty shootout
00:07 triumph over Nigeria in the last 16 have left the country on the edge of its
00:12 collective seat. Having found a way past Colombia, the small matter of a
00:16 semi-final in Sydney against hosts Australia stood in the Lionesses way of
00:20 reaching their first World Cup final. What a time to put in their best
00:25 performance of the tournament. Sublime finishes from Ella Toon, Lauren Hemp and
00:30 Alessia Russo sent England on their way despite a wonder goal from Australia's
00:35 Sam Kerr to draw things level in the second half. Sunday's opponents Spain had
00:39 never won a World Cup knockout match until this tournament and yet they find
00:44 themselves in a final against Serena Vigeman's all-conquering England side.
00:49 Slightly closer to home, coach of the newly affiliated Minnesboro Football
00:55 Club Women's side, Mick Mulhern spoke about his past experiences coaching
01:01 some of the Lionesses and looked ahead to the final on Sunday.
01:05 I was a tournament for 15 years, so Lucy Bryant and Jordan Knox.
01:09 Then I was lucky enough to work with England at 23s, so Millie Bright, the captain,
01:15 and the goalkeeper. A couple on the bench as well, Beth England.
01:20 The Lionesses you worked with when they were a lot younger, did you always have
01:25 confidence working with them at a younger age that they could go right to
01:28 the top and get to a World Cup final?
01:32 Well I don't think you ever think that, a World Cup final as such, but yes, international.
01:38 I didn't think they'd ever be as good as that with regards to the World Cups, Euros, etc.
01:46 Because England weren't there at that time. But I always thought they could go play for England.
01:52 And it's amazing, the main one probably being Lucy, Lucy Bronze, obviously winning the Euros,
01:58 chance to win the World Cup, she's won the Champions League four times.
02:01 What a career she's had. Never thought she'd get to that level.
02:07 And I don't mean that disrespectfully, I always knew she'd play for England.
02:10 The Euros was massive last year, I was so proud of the girls who were involved last year,
02:15 there were six or seven of them last year. But this year to bring them in the World Cup,
02:19 who would have thought that England would be in the World Cup final?
02:23 And the fact that again, two European teams, which again is brilliant, America aren't there,
02:30 so their dominance has kind of ended.
02:33 So again, two technical sides on Sunday morning, brilliant watch laws.
02:38 People want to watch it, they're invested in watching it and it's good to watch.
02:41 I mean England being yesterday, I thought England were brilliant yesterday,
02:44 technically very, very good. The system was excellent and it was good to watch.
02:49 Not just as a coach, I'm watching it thinking, well what are the fans going to think of this?
02:53 But it was really good.
02:55 England therefore have their chance on Sunday to make footballing history in this country.
03:01 Can they do it?
03:02 [BLANK_AUDIO]