Wednesday 18 January 2017, 14:41

Anna Signeul to leave Scotland for Finland

Anna Signeul will take charge of the Finland women’s national team for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 qualifying campaign, the Football Association of Finland has confirmed.

The Swede, who is currently head coach of the Scotland women’s national team, will remain in her current role for the UEFA Women’s EURO 2017 campaign.

The 55-year-old’s Finland tenure will commence on September 2017 and she has agreed terms until the end of 2020 with an option of an additional year. She replaces former coach Andree Jeglertz, who departed at the turn of the year.

An experienced manager who began her coaching career at 21, Signeul has been in charge of Scotland since 2005 and guided the country to the Women’s EURO, where they will kick off their Group D campaign against rivals England in July, before facing Portugal and Spain.

"We are determined to go there and make an impact," Signeul said. "The focus is on the EURO and we know there is a lot of work to be done to prepare the team.”

Signeul will learn Finland’s Women's World Cup qualifying opponents on 25 April, with the first European fixtures on the road to France 2019 taking place in September. European nations entering qualifying at the preliminary stage will learn their fate at a draw in Nyon, Switzerland on 19 January 2017.