Highest profile female manager of a male professional team
A new era in football could be about to take hold across the global game, as struggling Ligue 2 side Clermont Foot have announced that they are the first high profile professional male football team to hire a female manager.
This comes after Clermont had a disappointing season finishing only six points above the relegation zone and manager Regis Brouard not signing a new contract. Former Celtic scout, Iran womens team manager and Qatar national female team manager Costa begins her reign after the remaining two games of this season for which Brouard will remain in charge.
The appointment of Costa, has sent a shock across the football world as prior to her appointment the highest profile female manager had been Carolina Morace, who took charge of Italian Serie C1 team Viterbese for two matches in 1999.
Many high profile figures in France have spoken out in support for the Portuguese Costa, such as Clermont player Anthony Lippini who said that, “I cannot wait to return next season to be a part of it. I’m really curious. It will be a unique experience to be the first professional football team to be managed by a woman in France. It is good. It creates a buzz.” Not only has it been figures within the club who have come out in support of Costa, Najat Belkacem, France’s Women’s Minister, who said on Twitter: “Bravo Clermont Foot for understanding that giving a place to women is the future of professional football.”
Before this appointment she has had a variation of different posts through out the football world however as a manager to this point, her career has been met by some great success such as leading Qatar’s women to there first international victory and winning two Portuguese national women’s league titles with Sociedade Uniao 1 Dezembro in 2007 and 2008, before leading the club into the Women’s Champions League.
For many, the appointment at Clermont Foot should and could be the first of many female appointments we see not just in Europe but across the world in professional football, in a male dominated game I am sure a lot more attention will be paid to Clermont and there performance next season which can only be good for the club and finally if Costa is successful maybe we will see more female coaches in the future.