Beverly Priestman

English football manager and coach Beverly Priestman is best known for her work with the Canadian national side who she led to victory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Priestman grew up in a small town in the north of England, playing in local teams and football clubs as a child. She was coached by football manager John Herdman, going on work with him extensively in her later career. She quickly realised she was a skilled leader and tactician, and her strengths lay there instead of as a player. Her first coaching job was at Everton, before she moved to work on the Canadian women’s football programme with her mentor Herdman. She worked with the Under 17’s and Under 20’s for five years, bringing in new talent and developing the training programme at the club. In 2018 she was appointed as assistant coach for the England national side, leading the team to place fourth at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup and emerging as one of the key figures in the success of the team. The following year she moved back to work with the Canada national team, this time as head coach. Priestman went on to secure the side a gold medal for the team at the Tokyo Olympic Games held in 2021.

This well respected manager and coach continues to go from strength to strength and is responsible for some of the most successful programmes in women’s football.