It isn't uncommon to see a foreigner in charge of a national team. From Sarina Wiegmann to Fabio Capello, English football fans are no stranger to the phenomenon.
But Canadian football fans have every right to see Bev Priestman – the women's team's head coach – and John Herdman – the men's – as bizarre appointments from their own FA. Not because Priestman and Herdman aren't excellent coaches. Not even because they're both English... but the fact they actually come from the same tiny town.
“I don’t know what the population of Consett is but I know that everybody knows everybody, so it’s definitely not that big!” laughs Priestman ahead of the Women's World Cup. “So, I guess the fact that both the manager of the Canadian’s men’s side and the Canadian women’s side come from the same little town in Durham is pretty remarkable.”
Even more odd is that Priestman was even coached by Herdman as a young footballer herself.
“As a girl back then, you’d end up playing a lot of street football – the boys would knock on the door, you’d put the jumpers down as goal posts and away you’d go,” she recalls to FFT. “John Herdman actually coached me. He had a Brazilian Soccer School and I would go there and play every night, or whenever I got the opportunity. From there, I went to John Moores University and did a degree in the science of football before getting involved with Everton.”
Canada kick off their World Cup campaign on Friday 21 July vs Nigeria, the kick off is at 3.30am BST.
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England manager Sarina Wiegman implemented some bonding methods for the England team that proved pivotal in the Lionesses' Euro 2022 success.
Georgia Stanway acknowledges that the Lionesses are a different animal compared to last year, suggesting "the dynamic has changed but we’re still an unbelievable squad".
Meanwhile, FFT columnist Jules Breach says that England can still win the World Cup, despite the loss of experience in the side.
We've also compiled everything you need to know ahead of the World Cup in a special tournament hub.
