PHOTO: Liesbeth Migchelsen (centre right) and Raeanne Dower (centre left) have led Canberra to their second premiership | Credit: Katherine Griffiths / Canberra Times

Three years ago when Canberra United CEO Heather Reid appointed Czech coach Jitka Klimkova as the new coach for Canberra United, there was discernible scepticism.

Leading up to the Czech's appointment, the two most successful teams in the W-League had been ably led by male coaches.

Canberra themselves had managed some success under the stewardship of former Matildas and Socceroos assistant coach Robbie Hooker and Ray Junna.

Despite receiving some push back, Reid went ahead with the appointment stating at the time:

"Jitka Klimkova is sure to provide a major boost for individual players, the Canberra United team and the Westfield W-League."

What she couldn't have been able to foresee was that Klimkova would take Canberra to their first Premiership and Championship and taken them on a 16 game unbeaten run.

A precedent was set.

The following season Belinda Wilson led the Brisbane Roar to the premiership at her first attempt and this season Elisabeth Migchelsen captured the premiership with Canberra in her debut season.

"The fact is, in a sport where the league title is pre-eminent in most of the world, the last three W-League premiership winning teams have been coached by women."  

Further, the last two have been presided over by all female coaching teams with Belinda Wilson and Melissa Andreatta at Brisbane in 2012/13 and Migchelsen and Raeanne Dower in the 2013/14 season.

What has been incredible is that a number of these coaches struggled to secure head coaching, or any coaching positions, in football despite being well qualified.

Klimkova is one of only a handful of women with a UEFA Pro-Licence (the highest coaching qualification available), Migchelsen has a UEFA A Licence, Wilson holds an AFC A Licence and was an AFC Elite Coach Instructor, and Dower holds an AFC A Licence and is currently one of two women in the AFC Pro-Licence program.

While coaching education is one thing and practical experience another, gaining that practical experience at the highest levels has evidently been more difficult for female coaches.  

Take the case of Dower.

Although the long time Head Coach and Technical Director of the successful Redlands Football Club in Queensland, Dower, who has held her A Licence since 2007, found it difficult to secure a coaching job at the elite level in the Australian system.

So when the chance came along to be Migchelsen's deputy, she wasn't backwards in coming forward; despite the Detective Sergeant having to put her 20 year career in the Queensland Police Service on hold.

"I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and it was a lovely time to take some long-service leave anyway," joked Dower of the move to Canberra.

"It was something that I had wanted to do for some time so when Heather [Reid] asked me join, I jumped at it with both hands."

Dower and Migchelsen have worked closely this season to see Canberra build nicely for the finals.  A good start was followed by a rough patch before the "good cop, bad cop" duo helped right the ship for a storming finish to the season.

The Queenslander believes the working environment Migchelsen has fostered has contributed to the squad's success this season.

"All the coaching staff work as a really good team," said Dower.

"However Liz gives that much autonomy to the staff that we all feel like we are all part of the same journey."

Finally being a part of the W-League has definitely whet her appetite for a head coaching role down the track.

"Going down the road of completing my Pro-Licence, I obviously want to become a professional coach."

"Ideally at some stage in the future that is what I would love to do but at the moment I am certainly happy to be part of the wonderful green machine team."

Dower is one of a handful of female coaching who are slowly trickling into the system.

Along with Dower and Andreatta, Nicola Williams, the first female W-League coach, is back at Perth Glory and Katrina Smith is an assistant to Dave Edmondson at Melbourne Victory. While Ross Aloisi has spoken about the invaluable assistance Melissa Barbieri, who is completing her coaching accreditation, has provided to his young side.

These are small steps forward for female coaches when many in the past have felt knocked off the pathway.

In the end, whether male or female head coach is to appointed, the development of the players must be paramount.

However, while the past generation of players were almost exclusively coached and mentored by men, for the current generation of players, female coaches could soon become the norm.

Considering the results in the last couple of seasons, the evidence is that it's a good thing.