England Women are understood to have agreed a deal to bring in Dawn Scott as their new head of sports science and fitness.
Scott, who has been working with the United States Women’s side, is widely regarded as one of the finest around in her position and was heralded as a major part of the USWNT’s back-to-back World Cup triumphs.
According to Dominic King, the English FA have managed to lure Scott back to the country of her birth to take up a position in the coaching staff of their women’s side, with the deal expected to be confirmed early next week.
Scott, who was born in South Shields in Newcastle and worked for the FA until 2010, has since earned praise from countless influential figures for her impressive role in the USWNT’s sport science department.
The appointment is seen as a real coup for England manager Phil Neville, who has been under intense pressure to try and bring the Lionesses’ post-World Cup struggles to a halt.
Since crashing out in the semi-final at the hands of the USA, England have won just two of their eight games, with Neville’s position as first-team manager coming under close scrutiny as a result.
However, as a sign of their commitment to Neville, they have managed to strike a deal for Scott to give the former Manchester United and Everton star the best possible chance to turn things around.
Recalling her previous time with the English FA. Scott told BBC Sport: “In 2001, when I started working with England, there was no sports science programme. Back then, sports science was even new in the men’s game, and on the women’s side it was non-existent.”
However, the Newcastle United fan has since taken up a vital role with the USA, revealing that she takes charge of keeping the players fit and healthy.
“I oversee everything in terms of physical fitness or physical status of players, monitoring physical training every day with GPS heart rates,” she added. “I oversee the recovery side in relation to hydration and nutrition, whether that’s ice tubs, pool session recovery or stretching.”
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