Bev Priestman ‘didn't feel safe' in Canada after spying ban, appointed at Wellington Phoenix
Priestman has been appointed at Wellington Phoenix Women, the New Zealand club which competes in the Australian A-League, following the expiration of her suspension from football-related activities due to 'offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play.'
Advertisement
The 39-year-old Englishwoman was removed as Canada coach in August 2024 following the spying scandal that overshadowed the nation's Olympics campaign. A staff member for Canada was caught flying a drone over a training session of opponents New Zealand, with it subsequently emerging that drone use against opponents predated that tournament.
'I didn't feel safe (living in Canada after the Olympics),' Priestman said at a news conference, via AFP. 'That's being brutally honest. It was very difficult for my family, and I have to live with that.
'It was an absolute media frenzy. You've got people knocking at your door and everything, and I've got a little boy. Without going into too much detail, it was very difficult. We knew we had to get out of that country.'
Referencing the expiration of her ban, Priestman said: 'There's certain values that I hold and unfortunately, you know, things around me have clouded my judgement.
'So for me personally, I just want to get back to … I love working with people. I love getting the best out of people. I love being on a football pitch.'
Priestman — married to Emma Humphries, a former New Zealand international midfielder — has said she aims to 'bring some special moments to not only this city, but this country.'
Priestman won 30 of her 56 matches in charge of Canada and led the team to the gold medal at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo in August 2021.
Wellington Phoenix, who were previously managed by Paul Temple, finished ninth of 12 in last season's A-League.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rublev, Tiafoe sweat out three-set wins in Toronto
The seeded pair of Andrey Rublev and Frances Tiafoe were tested over three sets before making their way into the fourth round of the ATP Toronto Masters on Friday. Sixth seed Rublev, runner-up in Canada a year ago to Alexei Popyrin, advanced 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 as Lorenzo Sonego double-faulted on match point in their contest after two and a half hours. Tiafoe, the number seven, confessed to a bad day but earned his win the hard way as he beat Australian Aleksandar Vukic 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. "The ball was flying a lot, it was really ugly, but I'm happy to get through it," Tiafoe said. "It doesn't matter how you win. You just have to compete. It was up and down for me today." Rublev's victory extended the loss streak against the top 20 which has been plaguing Sonego for more than a year. The Italian has dropped his last 16 matches against the elite dating to Roland Garros last season. He now stands 2-3 against Rublev. The seed finished with 29 winners while Sonego had 41 unforced errors. Rublev, who won his 25th match of the season, now goes against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, who beat him this season on clay in Barcelona. The Spaniard earned his spot 6-2, 6-4 over Jakob Mensik. "I'm really happy, it's my first time in the round of 16 here in Toronto," Rublev said of the event, which alternates each season with Montreal. "I'm excited, motivated and happy with my performance." The winner said he had to adjust his serve in windy conditions as he made his comeback after losing the opening set. "I played more aggressive in the second set and made fewer mistakes. I was doing more with my serve. I had to slow it wide in the wind." Tiafoe next lines up against another Aussie in Alex de Minaur, who advanced when compatriot Christopher O'Connell pulled out with an injury. Tiafoe earned his 22nd match win of the season as he swept the final three games against Vukic, who had lost 15 or his previous 18 matches prior to arriving in Canada this week. "I had chances in the second set -- I could have gotten out in straights (sets)," Tiafoe said. "But he fended them off and made me play a third." The American, a quarter-finalist last week in his Washington hometown, will be playing for the second time in a Masters fourth round this season after Madrid in the spring. Second seed Taylor Fritz was bidding for the last 16 later as he faced a third-round test against Canadian Gabriel Diallo. Czech Jiri Lehecka completed a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 fightback to overhaul Arthur Fils as the Frenchman played for the first time since Roland Garros due to a back injury. str/js
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Canada's para hockey players join women, NHLers at 2026 orientation camps
CALGARY — Hockey Canada has invited 20 para hockey players to a national team orientation camp in Calgary as first step toward the 2026 Paralympic Games. The roster includes 16 players who helped Canada win gold at the 2024 world championship, as well as nine who claimed a silver medal at the 2022 Paralympic Games in Beijing. Defenders Rob Armstrong, Zach Lavin and Tyrone Henry, forwards Adam Dixon, Liam Hickey, James Dunn, Tyler McGregor and Anton Jacobs-Webb and goaltender Adam Kingsmill played on both squads. The three goalies, six defenceman and 11 forwards will participate in an orientation camp Aug. 26-28 alongside 30 women and 42 NHL players also summoned to Calgary for the women's and men's Olympic team camps. The Paralympic Games run March 5-15 after the Olympic Games Feb. 6-22 in Milan and Cortina, Italy. Hockey Canada senior vice-president of hockey operations Scott Salmond called the camps the first step toward the goal of winning three gold medals across Olympic and Paralympic hockey. 'While the next several months will bring intense evaluation and difficult roster decisions, we look forward to kicking off the season in Calgary and giving our athletes and staff a chance to come together and start to become one team as we set our sights on February,' he said Friday in a statement. Each 15-player Paralympic roster will include two goalies. Goaltenders Corbin Watson and Jean-François Huneault, defenders Shawn Burnett, Gavin Baggs and Auren Halbert and forwards Vincent Boily, Jonathan Daigle, Dominic Cozzalino, Matteo Pellizari, Micah Kovacevich and Mathieu Lelièvre round out Canada's camp roster. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025. The Canadian Press
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Boy younger than 10 dead after being hit by vehicle while riding bike in Ogema, Sask.
Coronach RCMP are investigating a fatal collision that left a child dead. Police say a boy under the age of 10 was riding his bike when he was hit by a vehicle at the gravel intersection of Bradley Street and Saskatchewan Avenue in Ogema, which is about 100 kilometres southwest of Regina. It happened Thursday afternoon at about 5:30 p.m. CST. The boy was declared dead at the scene. His family has been notified. RCMP say the driver stayed at the scene. An RCMP collision reconstructionist is working to determine exactly what happened.
