January 25, 2005

Anna Signeul is new Scotland National Team Head Coach effective March 1, 2005

Sweden Under-18 National team coach Anna Signeul will fill the vacancy caused when Head Coach Vera Pauw returned to Holland. During Pauw's years with the national team there has been a noticeable rise in the quality of the international play by Scotland. They and Russia have shown the most rapid improvement among the UEFA teams as they moved into the top twenty group.

Signeul brings an impressive coaching and playing background with her. Since 1996 she has been head coach of the Swedish Youth program, and her team won the UEFA Under-18 Championship.

Her first game as head coach will be on March 12th. when Scotland hosts Belgium at McDiarmid Park in Perth.

Comment by Anna Signeul

I am honored to be the Scotland women¹s national coach and relish the challenge. The Scottish FA has invested a lot of resources in women¹s football and I am delighted with the opportunity to join the association. The Scotland squad have made great progress and are at a good level, and hopefully we can work together to build on this. I am looking forward to getting started.