Former Canada coach Priestman leads Phoenix to final in return from drone spying ban

Canada's head coach Bev Priestman gestures during the women's World Cup Group B soccer match between Australia and Canada in Melbourne, Australia, July 31, 2023. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair, File)

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — 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.

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.

The Phoenix role is England-born Priestman’s first since the completion of the one-year ban imposed by FIFA for “offensive behavior and violation of the principles of fair play.”

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.

Two members of the Canada team’s backroom staff were sent home and Priestman voluntarily stood down 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.

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 “having faith in me to return to the game.

“For me, coming back has felt like the right move. Today is a good day.”

After the final, Priestman said her first season back in soccer had been enjoyable.

“I’ve seen people be at their best when they’re hungry,” she said. Losing the final “leaves a little bit on us. And in many ways, it might help us next year to push to another level. I’ve got an ambitious club.

“I’m 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’ll all know what could have been.