French club gets female manager
PORTUGUESE football coach Helena Costa has become the first woman to manage a high-profile European team after she was appointed by French second-tier club Clermont.
Former Celtic scout Costa, 36, is to take charge this summer after three years coaching the women’s national teams of Qatar and more recently Iran, a post she left in September. Before that Costa spent more than a decade coaching Benfica’s youth teams at different age groups, at one stage combining the role with managing Portuguese men’s lower league side Cheleirense.
“I’m really curious,” said Clermont defender Anthony Lippini. “It will be a unique experience. It creates a buzz.”