Former Canada women\u2019s soccer coach Bev Priestman has tasted immediate success on her return from a one-year ban over a drone-spying scandal at the 2024 Olympics,…<\/p>\n
WELLINGTON, New Zealand(AP) \u2014 Former Canada women’s soccer coach Bev Priestman has tasted immediate success on her return from a one-year ban over a drone-spying scandal at the 2024 Olympics, guiding the Wellington Phoenix women to the final of the Australian A-League.<\/p>\n
The Phoenix went down 3-1 to Melbourne Victory in Saturday’s final but it was a massive improvement on the team’s four previous A-League seasons. They finished last in their first two seasons and eighth and ninth in the next two seasons in the 11-team league.<\/p>\n
The Phoenix role is England-born Priestman’s first since the completion of the one-year ban imposed by FIFA<\/a> for \u201coffensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play.\u201d<\/p>\n Priestman led the Canada women to the gold medal at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Prior to Canada’s opening match against New Zealand at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a drone was flown over the New Zealand team’s private training session.<\/p>\n Two members of the Canada team’s backroom staff were sent home and Priestman voluntarily stood down<\/a> from the coaching team from the first match. She was subsequently stood down and suspended by Canada Soccer and, after an investigation, she was fired from her role<\/a>.<\/p>\n Priestman found her opportunity for redemption a long way from home, in New Zealand where she was offered a chance to return to a coaching role on a two-year contract. At her first press conference in New Zealand she thanked the Phoenix for \u201chaving faith in me to return to the game.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, coming back has felt like the right move. Today is a good day.\u201d<\/p>\n After the final, Priestman said her first season back in soccer had been enjoyable.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve seen people be at their best when they\u2019re hungry,\u201d she said. Losing the final \u201cleaves a little bit on us. And in many ways, it might help us next year to push to another level. I\u2019ve got an ambitious club.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m at my best in these moments; the hunger, the desire to push forward. I think everybody will channel that now. When we turn up in pre-season, we\u2019ll all know what could have been. <\/p>\n