Priestman savouring coaching return after drone scandal

Bev Priestman is excited about returning to coaching on Saturday with Wellington Phoenix and drawing a line under a spying scandal that saw her sacked as Canada manager.

The 39-year-old Englishwoman, who led Canada to Olympic gold in 2021, completed a one-year FIFA ban from football-related activity this year for her role in flying a drone over a closed New Zealand training session at last year's Summer Games.

Priestman will coach her first A-League Women match with Phoenix in their season-opener at home against Canberra United on Saturday.

She told New Zealand media she had been in a dark place for much of her ban, with people harassing her at her home.

"Probably for the first five-six months it was like survival mode," she said in video posted on the New Zealand Herald website.

"You're in crisis management and just getting through the day, really. People were knocking at my door, I had rubbish left on my door.

"As a family we slept in the basement together, didn't leave my house other than (for) what I needed to do."

Priestman previously served as New Zealand Football's director of football development and is married to former Football Ferns midfielder, and current Phoenix academy director, Emma Humphries.

She recently bought a house in Wellington and said she had been warmly received in New Zealand.

"I’m sitting in my house looking out over Whitby and you look at your phone from a year ago and think, 'Wow, how life can change'.

"I feel very grateful and I want to squeeze everything I can out of this group, out of myself and really make a push to make this city proud."