She helped clinch a perfect summer for German football: Six weeks after the men’s senior squad lifted the World Cup trophy in Rio de Janeiro, Maren Meinert led the women’s U20 side to World Cup success in Canada. Meinert has been nominated for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women's Football for the second time, having come second in 2010. The winners will be announced in Zurich at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on 12th January 2015. Meinert spoke to DFB.de about being nominated for the award.
DFB.de: Ms. Meinert, what does it mean to be nominated for the award again?
Maren Meinert: It’s nice to be recognised. I am happy and lucky to have made it to the final three. The nomination isn’t just for me – it reflects the hard work that all the coaches of the women’s youth sides put in. The U20 side may be the World Champions, but everyone helped contribute to the success.
DFB.de: Is being nominated normal for you now, or is it still as exciting as it was the first time?
Meinert: I was honoured to make the list, but I didn’t have the chance to celebrate the nomination. I was pregnant so couldn’t attend the ceremony. I’m certainly not nervous – the hard work has been done, we’ve won the World Cup, so I can enjoy anything else that comes my way now.
DFB.de: Will you be able to attend the gala this time?
Meinert: Yes, that’s the plan.
DFB.de: The other two coaches in the final three are both men: Ralf Kellermann (VfL Wolfsburg) and Norio Sasaki (Japan). Is this an advantage for you?
Meinert: I’m not sure, I don’t really think about it. There are more male coaches than female ones in women’s football, so it’s logical that the list reflects that. I was the only female coach of a team at the U20 World Cup in 2012 – it’s quite normal.
DFB.de: The trophy has only been awarded four times and Silvia Neid has won it twice. Is that a good omen?
Meinert: It would certainly be a huge honour if I can follow in her footsteps.
DFB.de: Joachim Löw has been nominated for the men’s award. You’ve previous said that the triumph he guided the men’s senior squad to in summer motivated your team. What’s it like to be nominated for an award alongside him?
Meinert: I am a big fan of his, so it’s nice. I hope that we are able to celebrate at least one success on the evening. Plenty of Germans have been nominated, so the chance of success is increased.
DFB.de: Are you desperate to win, or do you feel that whoever wins it has deserved the title?
Meinert: That’s exactly it. A lot of people feel that way and so do I. My aim is just to enjoy the evening.
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She helped clinch a perfect summer for German football: Six weeks after the men’s senior squad lifted the World Cup trophy in Rio de Janeiro, Maren Meinert led the women’s U20 side to World Cup success in Canada. Meinert has been nominated for the FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women's Football for the second time, having come second in 2010. The winners will be announced in Zurich at the FIFA Ballon d’Or Gala on 12th January 2015. Meinert spoke to DFB.de about being nominated for the award.
DFB.de: Ms. Meinert, what does it mean to be nominated for the award again?
Maren Meinert: It’s nice to be recognised. I am happy and lucky to have made it to the final three. The nomination isn’t just for me – it reflects the hard work that all the coaches of the women’s youth sides put in. The U20 side may be the World Champions, but everyone helped contribute to the success.
DFB.de: Is being nominated normal for you now, or is it still as exciting as it was the first time?
Meinert: I was honoured to make the list, but I didn’t have the chance to celebrate the nomination. I was pregnant so couldn’t attend the ceremony. I’m certainly not nervous – the hard work has been done, we’ve won the World Cup, so I can enjoy anything else that comes my way now.
DFB.de: Will you be able to attend the gala this time?
Meinert: Yes, that’s the plan.
DFB.de: The other two coaches in the final three are both men: Ralf Kellermann (VfL Wolfsburg) and Norio Sasaki (Japan). Is this an advantage for you?
Meinert: I’m not sure, I don’t really think about it. There are more male coaches than female ones in women’s football, so it’s logical that the list reflects that. I was the only female coach of a team at the U20 World Cup in 2012 – it’s quite normal.
DFB.de: The trophy has only been awarded four times and Silvia Neid has won it twice. Is that a good omen?
Meinert: It would certainly be a huge honour if I can follow in her footsteps.
DFB.de: Joachim Löw has been nominated for the men’s award. You’ve previous said that the triumph he guided the men’s senior squad to in summer motivated your team. What’s it like to be nominated for an award alongside him?
Meinert: I am a big fan of his, so it’s nice. I hope that we are able to celebrate at least one success on the evening. Plenty of Germans have been nominated, so the chance of success is increased.
DFB.de: Are you desperate to win, or do you feel that whoever wins it has deserved the title?
Meinert: That’s exactly it. A lot of people feel that way and so do I. My aim is just to enjoy the evening.
