Former Celtic Women’s manager Fran Alonso has opened up about his departure from the club and his decision to join Houston Dash as their head coach.
Despite his affection for Celtic and the considerable impact he had in promoting women’s football in Glasgow, Alonso did not shy away from highlighting issues within the club’s transfer strategy, particularly concerning the retention of key players.
In conversation on the Behind the Goals podcast, Alonso shared insights into what he perceived as a significant challenge during his tenure at Celtic. “The problem for me was how ineffective we were about retaining the quality players we produced. I was there four years, and we lost our top goalscorer every year while Rangers or Glasgow City would not lose theirs,” Alonso revealed. This critique echoes the sentiments of fans who have also expressed frustration over the club’s approach to transfers, especially in the women’s team.
Alonso’s decision to leave Celtic was not made lightly. He described it as the toughest decision of his career, driven by the allure of the American league’s competitiveness and the infrastructure and climate offered by Houston.
“I was happy at Celtic. You always want more, but I was very happy with what we were achieving and how the future looked, but if you are in women’s football, the American league is the best in the world, the most competitive.
“That’s the aspiration and Houston has the weather, the structure of their club. So, I made the decision, but it was a very hard decision.
“My family were sad. My parents had become Celtic fans. Now, the sadness is slowly disappearing, and the excitement is growing even more. It’s an opportunity for me to grow and learn. It’s going to be a challenge but a beautiful challenge.”
Celtic have now entered a new era under Elena Sadiku. She’s had a tough first few games as manger, but she watched her side win for the first time at the weekend.
