Celtic's Fran Alonso on amazing journey to UK, Craig McPherson headbutt in Rangers game and women's World Cup

An estimated two billion right across the globe will watch the Women’s World Cup and in the east end of Glasgow they’re already agog. Fran Alonso’s Celtic took in the first half of the opening game between New Zealand and Norway before they had to get down to work. Then after training the players gathered round the TV for the second half of Australia vs Republic of Ireland - fascinated, rooting for clubmates past and present, and not a little jealous.

Fran Alonso is still beaming about Celtic's women's team retaining the Scottish Cup and recites the Hampden attendance like a mantra

It was ex-Celt Claire O’Riordan’s Republic who dashed Scotland’s dream of qualification for the ninth edition of the women’s tournament. “That was sad,” says the Spanish coach, “and now the Scots are seeing their rivals play in the World Cup in front of 75,000 fans. They will think: ‘That could have been us.’ And it should have been. On paper, Scotland are stronger than Ireland, only in the deciding match the Irish were more efficient.

“But here and everywhere else we can enjoy the World Cup improving the women’s game. More teams, more investment, more excitement. And a bigger reward for the winners with a TV audience twice the size of last time.

“Two billion – incredible. And it will be even greater in future. The women’s game is not going away. I know this from Scotland and even though the national team are missing the tournament, look at our final two games of last season at Celtic: 9,000 and 15,822. Yes, the second one I know right down to the last two spectators to arrive! The figure has stuck for me because if you’d told me three years ago there would be that size of crowd for a Scottish match I would have said: ‘No way, crazy man.’ But – incredible.”

Alonso brings plenty of passion to the Scottish game and his story about how he ended up in the UK is fascinating.

You might be able to tell, if you don’t know already, that Alonso, 48, is a passionate man. He brings drama to the dugouts with his Iberian gesticulations and cream jackets really best suited to the Gran Via in his home city of Madrid but which, in grey Scotland, are most welcome. He brings fun to the post-match interviews. Back in May, after Celtic had retained the Scottish Cup, the final played at Hampden in another breakthrough for the women’s game, he began discussing the performance in the ritualistic manner of all managers, before throwing out his arms like an opera tenor and bellowing: “Celtic Glasgow, lo lo lo lo lo lo lo lo!” Then, composing himself, he returned to his script.

I’m hoping for more fun when I meet the ebullient Alonso at Celtic Park but at the last moment, because he will have to dash to Glasgow Airport to collect two new signings, our chat must be diverted onto Zoom. He’s still good value, though, and even discusses the headbutt.

You’ll remember this. The immediate aftermath of an Old Firm derby, Celtic equalising late so honours even, time for handshakes and … oh no, what’s Craig McPherson doing? The Rangers coach’s actions were all the more shocking for this being women’s football. Regrettable for sure, but would the incident have happened if the coaches had been women? Was it, however perverse, hard evidence for the remaining sceptics that the women’s game really mattered? Or was it simply another Old Firm conflagration, the 4,763rd since records began? One observer of the scene summed it up thus: “the most talked-about moment in the history of our domestic female game”.

McPherson was hit with a ban following April’s blow-up and his apology was accepted by Alonso who acknowledges that football is a highly emotional game, that its exponents should always be themselves, although obviously there’s a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

The incident which led Rangers assistant Craig MacPherson to receive a six-game ban for headbutting Celtic manager Fran Alonso.

He says: “The matter is closed and that’s important. I think it’s something Craig regrets more than me, which is unfortunate for him. But football people are passionate and sometimes the passion can get the better of us.

“At Celtic we’ve conceded late goals which have killed and that’s been tragic. You never want to see the opposition manager celebrate but for me it’s part of football. All week, every goal scored, every good piece of action and skill, has been worked hard for, has been sweated for, so in games there are these moments of reward.

“We might decide to be calm in these moments, which is fine and valid and a very successful way as well, but if you’re a passionate person that is how you should be. I have to say I was proud of my own reaction that day because it could have been more aggressive. And I loved how my players and staff separated everyone. From a Celtic point of view our behaviour was excellent.

“But I never wished there to be any punishment or pressing of charges. When I left the pitch, what had happened stayed there. Craig called me and apologised and when out teams played next time we hugged like normal and wished each other good luck.”

That was the Hampden final, the occasion of the 15,822, when no rousing speech was required of the boss. The previous weekend Celtic thought they were winning the league only to have the title ripped away at the death by Glasgow City – prompting much Twitter mirth from Rangers fans. Jibes blown up on the whiteboard provided all the motivation needed.

Alonso talks more about the World Cup. I ask, for the continued advancement of the women’s game, if there needs to be another “wow” moment like Alessia Russo’s back-heeled goal for England in last summer’s European Championships. He thinks Chloe Kelly’s celebration – tearing off her shirt and sprinting away in her sports bra – after scoring for the Lionesses in that tournament’s final was “even more iconic” and our man is confident that between now and the climax of this competition on 20 August there will be others.

And what of Alonso’s Spain, billed as serious contenders for what promises to be a wide open affair? “We have some of the best players in the world but unfortunately there are a few who will be missing.” This is because of an ongoing dispute with the coach, Jorge Vilda, which began after qualifying when a group declared themselves unavailable for selection, effectively staging a mutiny. “There will still be a very good team but without the likes of the goalkeeper, Sandra Paros, and Mapi Leon, who’s a great centre-back, we won’t be at full strength. I don’t really know what’s behind the dispute but it’s very sad.”

As a boy Alonso fantasised about starring for La Roja in World Cups only for his dream to be dashed. “I was devoted, looked after myself all the teenage years, never went out, never drank alcohol, but although I played fussball to a high standard I wasn’t good enough.

“So I decided early I would try to become a coach. At the time I was a landscape gardener – nice work but it was the same every day. I read a self-development book, Dr Wayne Dyer, and decided I was basically wasting my life. I wasn’t getting happiness, fulfillment. I wasn’t changing other people’s lives. The best job in the world is to be a footballer. The second best to me seemed to be coaching. I would have done it for nothing.

“My father, Paco, was very angry. He thought I was mad. But I decided I would move to England because the Premier League was the best in the world and Google told me Bournemouth was the sunniest town. So with my suitcase and two thousand pounds that’s where I went.”

Alonso spoke no English so a friend filled out an online application for a job at a leisure centre. “For two years I cleaned toilets. Up at four, work 5-11, intense language course 12-3 then back to work until half past seven at night. Friends would ask: ‘Why are you doing this?’ ‘Because I want to be a coach.’ ‘Impossible!’ they’d say. At the leisure centre I asked if there was a chance of coaching. They said my English still wasn’t good enough. So I set up my own football academy – four or five kids at first, losing money, but eventually growing to 100.”

Then came the breakthrough with Southampton recruiting him to the Saints Foundation, beginning with the under-eights. New manager Mauricio Pochettino took a shine to Alonso, promoting him to his technical staff. He says of the Argentine, now back in England with Chelsea: “I have to credit him with changing my life.”

It sounds pretty much, though, as if Alonso did this by himself while refusing to be knocked off course by scepticism and setbacks. Coaching was the promise he made to himself back in his teens, and not the only one he packed in his case when leaving Madrid.

“My sister Rebecca played fussball, too, but I used to hear comments about women that I won’t repeat. They really made me angry. So I decided that if I achieved my dream of working in the men’s game I would still try to help women’s football.

“I took over the team at Southampton when they were bottom of the fifth tier, sometimes losing 15-0 because they couldn’t field 11 players. Two of the guys in the men’s team put their hands in their pockets to provide better training facilities. The side avoided relegation and the next season won the league.”

Ronald Koeman took over from Pochettino then was himself lured to Everton, attempting to take Alfonso with him. But he liked Southampton, feeling particularly loyal to his women. He eventually followed to Goodison as assistant to the Dutchman when the job spec was expanded to include coaching Everton Ladies.

Now what’s the ambition? “Honestly, I know for coaches the women’s game can be a stepping stone to the men, but for me that’s not the plan. I’ve worked in the men’s game for seven years, maybe not as a manager, and really I’m thinking I might stay here for the rest of my football life. Of course the sport does not allow for that but I want to win the league with Celtic, win lots of trophies. I came over to Britain on my own and that’s how I still am. When I’m not coaching football I’m thinking about football. Yes, quite a boring guy! Too much football but for me there’s no such thing.”

Fair enough, although if the sunshine of the English Riviera was originally a prerequisite, how has he managed to acclimatise to Glasgow? “I haven’t!” he laughs. “Seriously, though, I absolutely love the city. Love the Celtic community, the fans, the banter. I’ve bought into the culture – well, apart from the haggis – and I reckon you Scottish people are very similar to the Spanish: very open, very friendly and trying to be funny when you can.”

And finally he’s made his old dad proud. “He and my mother come over to watch the team and saw the Scottish Cup being won two times. My mother brings gifts for the girls and my father is like the No 1 fan in the full kit. Do you know, he swears all the time. Thankfully he speaks no English otherwise he might end up in big trouble!”