World Soccer - UK (2022-01)

Goldmedal-winningcoachgettingtherecognitionshedeserves

BEV PRIESTMAN

evPriestman’s journey
toOlympicgoldbegan
asa 12-year-oldattending
futsalsessionsinhernative northeast
England.Theclasseswererunby
JohnHerdman,a part-timeuniversity
lecturer, whocombinedthesessions
withteachingsportsscienceand
coachingSunderlandyouth teams.
Herdman’smosthigh-profile
graduate wasLiverpoolcaptainJordan
Henderson,but hisrealprotégéis
Priestman.Now,theyworkalongside
eachotherinCanada;Herdmancoaching
themen’steamtoa raretiltatWorld
Cupqualification,andPriestmanleading
a women’s teamthatendedyearsof
near-missesbywinningtheTokyo
Olympicfootballtournament.
Itisa longwayfromConsettto
Canada,especiallyviaNewZealand,
whichiswherePriestmanjoined
Herdmanashisassistantfor the
internationalwomen’steam.Having
played brieflyatEvertonsherealised
shewouldn’tmake a top-classplayer;
coachingoffered an alternative route.
Infouranda half yearsinNew
Zealandshelearneda lotabout
coaching,beforefollowingHerdman
toCanada,workingwiththeyouth
programmeand assistingthe national
teamastheywon a second consecutive
bronze medalatthe 2016 Olympics.
In 2018 Herdmantookcharge of
CanadaMen’steam,andPriestman
returnedtoEnglandasPhilNeville’s
assistantwiththe Lionesses.
“Thebest thingI didwasgo backto
EnglandandworkwithPhil,” shesaid
later. “Itwasimportanttoexperience
differentideasanda differentway
ofworking.ButIwouldn’t be here
withoutthesupport I had from John.”
ThepairsteeredEngland to the 2019
WorldCupsemi-finals,butwhenNeville
quittocoachDavidBeckham’s Inter

Miami,Priestmanwas overlookedashis

replacement.

BackshewenttoCanada,arrivingas

first choicewith themessage:“We need

tochangethe colourofthemedal.”

NinemonthslaterCanadaarrivedin

Japanwithareputationofbeinghard to

beatbut,with thegreatChristineSinclair

finallyon thewane, strugglingfor goals.

Thatturnedout nottomatter.

Fourgoals,onewin,threedrawsanda

successfulpenaltyshootouttookthem

tothe semi-finals,where they facedthe

oldfoe from acrossthe 49 thparallel.

JessieFleming’s penaltysentthe US

toa 1-0defeat,Canada’sfirst victoryin

thefixture for 20 years.Flemingalso

scoredfromthespotinthefinalwith

Sweden,another1-1 draw.The Chelsea

midfielder, like so manyof theteama

youth internationalunderPriestman,

kepthernerveagainasCanadawon

thepenaltyshootout.Thecolourof

themedalwasnow gold.

“Sheinstilledthisbeliefandbravery

thatmaybe we hadn’t hadinthe past,”

saidSinclairafterwardsofPriestman.

Forthequietlydetermined 35 -year-

old,the finalwasas status-alteringas

foranyofherplayers.

“WhenI arrivedback in Canada

peoplewerestopping me in thestreet

andpayingformeals,”shesaid.“Itfeels

likemy life’schangedovernightbutit

feels really,reallygood.”

GlennMoore

Enjoyingthe

limelight...

Priestman

B

W

O M E

N

P E O PL EO FT H EYE A R

CHRISTINESINCLAIR

NotonlywasSinclairthe

captainofPriestman’s

goldmedal-winning side,

shealsobecamethe first

playerevertopass 3 00

internationalcaps,and

wonthreetrophieswith

PortlandThornsin 202 1.

FRANKIRBY

Kirbywasnamed

Women’s Footballerof the

YearbyboththePFA and

theFWAafterovercoming

pericarditisto fireChelsea

tothe WSLtitle and

ChampionsLeague

final,with 25 goals.

KENNYSHIELS

NorthernIreland Women

willplayin theirfirst-ever

major tournamentat

thisyear’sEuropean

Championshipfinals

inEngland,thanks

totheirexperienced

65-year-oldmanager.

H O N OU R A BL EM EN T I ON S