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“Today’s a good day.” Those were the words of Bev Priestman as she was unveiled as the new head coach of Wellington Phoenix. She has signed a two-year deal with the Ninja A-League outfit.
Durham-born Priestman is no stranger to New Zealand. Sixteen years ago, she headed up coach development in Wellington. She then went on to become New Zealand Football’s director of football development.
“Coming back to New Zealand and seeing the Phoenix week in week out as the only professional women’s team has been amazing,” she said following her announcement.
Priestman spent stints with the Canadian U17s and U20s, before she was appointed as England assistant manager in 2018. She was part of Phil Neville’s coaching staff that reached the 2019 World Cup semi-finals in France.
Bev Priestman returns to coaching
In 2020, Priestman returned to Canada — this time as head coach of the senior national team. She led them to Olympic gold in Tokyo before a disappointing group stage exit at the 2023 World Cup.
Her time in charge of the Canadians ended in a shroud of controversy last summer. Priestman, assistant manager Jasmine Mander and analyst Joseph Lombardi were all dismissed in the wake of the ‘spying’ scandal when members of the backroom staff were caught flying a drone over — ironically — a New Zealand training session before their match in the Paris Olympics.
Priestman was subsequently handed a one-year ban from all football related activities.
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Phoenix chair, Rob Morrison was bullish on the appointment of their new manager and broader investment into the ‘Nix women’s side: “This is a step up in an exciting era for the Phoenix women’s team. Along with our significant ongoing investment in the women’s academy programme, we have doubled our investment in the women’s first team and this has resulted in us being able to recruit some great international players.”
The international players Morrison is referring to include Teseel Middag and Lucía León, as well as bringing Football Ferns Victoria Esson and CJ Bott back to New Zealand from stints in Scotland and England respectively.
The upcoming A-League season may just be the most intriguing one yet for the side from across The Tasman.
