Vera Pauw

"Before that I wanted to be a coach, but I didn’t know how big I could be as a coach."

"If you really want something and you put all your effort in it together as a group, then anything is possible."

"I never punish. I never shout. I never swear. What are they afraid of?"

"I’m Dutch so I am clear in what I want. I think the fact I am maybe different – that is what they have felt. They are not used to women being direct."

"Because I’m a female coach, I’m undermined. A male coach who treated their players so well and put himself on the barricades would be praised. I did my job protecting players."

"If I would have been a male, this would have never, ever been an issue."

"I took care of the players. I’m direct. I’m opinionated, but nobody touches my players."

"I am the only coach in the world who’s always at the subs training because I know it’s awkward as a sub."

"It’s only a woman that can be criticised like that. Do you think Pep Guardiola would get this on his plate?"

"It’s my job to get the best programme on the pitch."

"Where in men's football would a player be given be given the opportunity, who's only played so few minutes (for their club), to go to the World Cup and be apart of it?"

"Five times I became coach of the year. Do you think this is because of my nice glasses or something?"

"In my opinion, no head coach in the world would accept interference of the executives in technical football affairs."