Examining who could crack Canada Soccer's shortlist for next women's head coach

With the preliminary report from Canada Soccer's independent review of the drone spying scandal from Paris 2024, one of the top priorities is finding a new head coach for the women's team.

Canada Soccer said in a release on Wednesday that Bev Priestman, along with assistant coach Jasmine Mander and analyst Joey Lombardi will not return to the team.

Canada Soccer said in their statement that the search for a new coach would begin shortly.

Priestman, who took over the team in November 2020, had signed a contract extension in January that would take her through the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil.

WATCH | Canada Soccer confirms Priestman's departure from women's head coaching job: 

Bev Priestman out as women’s head soccer coach after drone-spying scandal

Whoever the new candidate may be must be someone who can not only mend culture and build trust, but also win.

Canada's success at the Olympics is well documented — back-to-back bronze medals in 2012 and 2016, followed by an historic gold in Tokyo — but success at the World Cup stage has eluded the program. Its best result remains a fourth-place finish in 2003, over 20 years ago.

There's plenty of coaching talent both at home and abroad, but here are a few candidates who could make the shortlist:

The current interim head coach was thrust into the position during the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 41-year-old Liverpool native, described by many as Priestman's lead assistant, guided the team through its three group-stage victories and the quarterfinal loss to Germany.

He was again behind the bench for an October friendly against the reigning world champions, Spain, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Prior to joining the Canadian team in 2022, Spence coached Everton in the Women's