‘Too good to turn down’ - Aston Villa coach agrees to take on big international position but remains at Villa

Aston Villa coach Austin MacPhee has been confirmed as new assistant manager of the Portuguese national team in a huge statement of intent by head coach Roberto Martinez in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup.

MacPhee will combine the international role with his current position as Aston Villa’s set piece coach and remains a key member of Unai Emery’s backroom team at Villa Park as the West Midlands outfit target a second consecutive top four finish while aiming to end their 29-year wait for silverware.

The Athletic understands the Scotsman was identified by Martinez as his ideal candidate to replace Anthony Barry who has linked up with Thomas Tuchel as the new assistant boss of the England national team.

Austin MacPhee makes international U-turn

MacPhee, who joined Aston Villa as a set-piece coach under Dean Smith in August 2021, had combined his duties in the West Midlands with a similar role with the Scotland national team, and had played a key role in helping the team secure qualification for the European Championship last summer.

However, just months after the tournament in September, he made the reluctant decision to step away from international duties and focus solely on his work at Villa Park. He cited his father's illness and family commitments as the main reasoning behind this decision, but has since claimed that his circumstances have changed.

The Athletic understands that MacPhee sees the opportunity to work alongside former Everton boss Roberto Martinez at Portugal as too good to turn down as he prepares to work closely with one of the greats of modern football in Cristiano Ronaldo alongside other household names such as Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes.

MacPhee’s first international camp will come next month when Portugal take on Denmark in the Nations League quarter-finals. The loser of that two-legged tie will join Scotland’s World Cup qualifying group later this year.

Austin MacPhee’s coaching career so far

Born in Kirkcaldy, MacPhee has plenty of international coaching experience which stretches back to his time as Cowdenbeath assistant coach between 2008 and 2010.

After a four-year stint at St Mirren, he joined Michael O’Neil as assistant boss of Northern Ireland and helped steer the nation to Euro 2016, marking the nation’s first appearance at a European Championship.

After a four-year stint in the Scottish Premiership as assistant boss at Hearts and a brief one-year stint as set-piece-coach at Danish heavyweights FC Midtjylland, MacPhee returned to international football as Scotland’s set-piece coach and helped the team secure qualification for Euro 2024 before a heart-breaking group stage exit.

MacPhee has been with Villa since 2021 and has worked under the likes of Dean Smith, Steven Gerrard and Unai Emery. In 2023/24 his influence was highlighted by pundits throughout Europe as the Villans scored the most set piece goals in Europe when they converted 25 set pieces in all competitions. The teams also clinched Champions League qualifcation for the first time since 1983 while reaching the UEFA Europa Conference semi-final.