Bev Priestman - Women's Manager

Amy Shepherd has recommitted to the Wellington Phoenix and is taking on greater responsibility this off-season, serving as the interim head coach until a permanent appointment is made in late July.

Shepherd was appointed the women’s assistant coach last September and quickly established herself as a popular and respected member of the team’s staff during the 2024-25 Ninja A-League.

It’s believed Shepherd is the only fulltime assistant in the women’s competition and that backing from the Phoenix is a big reason why she has re-signed.

https://wellingtonphoenix.com/news/womens-assistant-coach-re-signs-as-the-club-builds-for-the-2025-26-season/

Totally unrelated past news....


27 July 2024

Don't want to drone on. But late July seems a long time away?

Ranix

Don't want to drone on. But late July seems a long time away?

"One of Shepherd’s priorities over the next couple of months will be player recruitment..."

Sounds like it's all a done deal to me

Speculation over. Priestman to be announced as the new ALW coach late July, once her ban is finished.

Presumably from now until then she can sit in on meetings, be involved with recruitment, etc etc. Will there be FIFA spies hiding in the bushes at NZCIS, making sure there is no hands on coaching?? Will her partner and Phoenix Academy Director Emma Humphries drive her into Upper Hutt in disguise?

Helps that next ALW season won't start until November.

Putting the whole drone saga to the side, her CV is impressive. Bit of a coup for the Nix in that regard.

With Dronegate it seems she was in the thaw a bit of her mentor John Herdman, and Herdman may have been the initial brains behind spying with drones. Herdman was Priestman's futsal coach when she was 12 yr old in the UK, and he was still a Uni sports lecturer. They go waaaaay back

coochiee

Speculation over. Priestman to be announced as the new ALW coach late July, once her ban is finished.

Presumably from now until then she can sit in on meetings, be involved with recruitment, etc etc. Will there be FIFA spies hiding in the bushes at NZCIS, making sure there is no hands on coaching?? Will her partner and Phoenix Academy Director Emma Humphries drive her into Upper Hutt in disguise?

Helps that next ALW season won't start until November.

Putting the whole drone saga to the side, her CV is impressive. Bit of a coup for the Nix in that regard.

With Dronegate it seems she was in the thaw a bit of her mentor John Herdman, and Herdman may have been the initial brains behind spying with drones. Herdman was Priestman's futsal coach when she was 12 yr old in the UK, and he was still a Uni sports lecturer. They go waaaaay back

They don't regroup until Aug/sept so no problems there. But understand she isn't allowed to coach her kids football team.

So I'm guessing she won't be allowed / be a good look if she is up at NZCIS. 

Recuritment via speaker phone at the Humpries/Priestmas household I'd imagine. 

Hopefully Priestman has useful good overseas agent connections, re recuiting some quality visa players. 

Some promising young Canadian players?? Their new 6 team womens pro league (Northern Super League) runs April-November, so players could almost play that season and the ALW back to back. 

When do the 2024/25 35-week contracts expire? I think I heard somewhere they were timed to include the play-offs in case we made it that far?

Reason for asking is I wonder how much of a gap there is between current squad members coming off contract and the club being in a position to sign new ones with them.

just as long as we keep the drones away from her.

From drone-gate to Dome-gate

From memory Rebekah Stott is a bit of a drone enthusiast. Stott was the one who yes first spotted the Canadian drone(s) at the Olympics last year.

She might try have some fun with the Nix when they play Melb City, next season!

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/360683922/appointment-timing-hints-wellington-phoenix-eyeing-bev-priestman-new-womens-coach

At least "Bev Priestman's yellow army" has a good rhythm to it - we can't go appointing a coach whose name would mess up the chant.

I can see the club coming in for a lot of shark if this turns out to be true.

I'm against it personally given how I've seen PAFC get treated for smilar signings.

We can't be accused of letting Priestman re-offend:
 
Wellington is too windy for drones!

Plenty of drones in a beehive

Well whoever the new coach is (cough), they won’t get to choose their back-room team:

Women’s support staff confirmed for 2025-26 season

Head analyst and assistant coach Tory Schiltgen, goalkeeper coach Nick Stanton, operations and equipment manager Toni West-Luamanu, head physical performance scientist Kieran McMinn and head physiotherapist Beanie Joyes are returning for another season alongside lead assistant coach Amy Shepherd, who is serving as the interim head coach until a permanent appointment is made.

They will again be joined by rehab physiotherapist Jamie Hassett and analyst Tyron Curtis, who will continue to work across both the women’s and men’s first teams.

Simon B

Well whoever the new coach is (cough), they won’t get to choose their back-room team:

Women’s support staff confirmed for 2025-26 season

Head analyst and assistant coach Tory Schiltgen, goalkeeper coach Nick Stanton, operations and equipment manager Toni West-Luamanu, head physical performance scientist Kieran McMinn and head physiotherapist Beanie Joyes are returning for another season alongside lead assistant coach Amy Shepherd, who is serving as the interim head coach until a permanent appointment is made.

They will again be joined by rehab physiotherapist Jamie Hassett and analyst Tyron Curtis, who will continue to work across both the women’s and men’s first teams.

Maybe they already have…
Hasset??? Any relation to Betsy?

It’s July, wonder if we’ll hear anything around, I dunno, the 28th?

Depends when the drone can start flying i guess.

I wish people would stop drone-ing on about a new womans coach. Shes hardly likely to just drop out of the sky!

A Paw patrol reference? Hmmm

We really need someone to drive the demons out of this thread. Does anyone know a priest, man?

So we might have some news next week

Procrastinixing

So we might have some news next week

Or tomorrow night?

Simon B

Procrastinixing

So we might have some news next week

Or tomorrow night?

Wouldnt think it should be made official while a person is still suspended 

ballane

Simon B

Procrastinixing

So we might have some news next week

Or tomorrow night?

Wouldnt think it should be made official while a person is still suspended 

True, but if the suspension started from the date of the decision (July 28th) then they could do what they did with Piper’s re-signing and “soft announce” it at the event prior to the official unveiling tomorrow.

But yeah I’m probably guilty of impatient wishful thinking here.

Today isnt members only so not sure how it can be expected people to stay quiet if they get told today. Despite most people thinking they are aware of who it is its still not a good look if its announced before the ban is finished.

Will the ban end at NZT or GMT I wonder?

Oi Oi Edgecumbe

Will the ban end at NZT or GMT I wonder?

12:01 presser coming on whichever day it is?

Of course they still could surprise us, they’ve been good at that recently.

There is no rush though. Preseason doesn't start for another month at least for the women.

Domey confirmed at the Q&A tonight that the announcement is coming next week.

Flea??

Members just received an email announcing the coach. You aren't going to believe who it is! 

Let's all act surprised at the worst kept secret why don't we??

SURPRISE !!

Bev Priestman - worse kept secret in NZ football.

Great appointment to go with some quality signings... has she been at trainings already, has she cast her eye over the squad + youth??

Good to see it confirmed.

MetalLegNZ

Bev Priestman - worse kept secret in NZ football.

Great appointment to go with some quality signings... has she been at trainings already, has she cast her eye over the squad + youth??

Training hasn't started. They are not allowed to begin until 7 weeks out from season start. 
Believe she has been spotted in the stands at some Nix games last season and at some academy games.