Leicester City Women’s manager Willie Kirk will be absent from the touchline for the upcoming Women’s FA Cup quarter-final against Liverpool as he is currently involved in an internal process within the club.
Kirk, who initially joined the Women’s Super League (WSL) club as the director of football in the summer of 2022, later took over as the head coach in November of the same year.
The club released a statement, stating:
“Willie Kirk is assisting the club with an internal process, the outcomes of which will be determined in due course. Assistant manager Jennifer Foster and first-team coach Stephen Kirby will take charge of the team for Saturday’s Women’s FA Cup tie at Liverpool.”
Kirk, 45, has had a notable career in women’s football, previously managing Hibernian and Bristol City. He also spent time on the coaching staff at Manchester United before taking charge of Everton in December 2018. During his time with Everton, he led the team to the Women’s FA Cup final in 2020.
Last season, Kirk guided Leicester from the bottom of the WSL to safety, and the team is currently positioned seventh in the table. His tenure with Leicester has seen positive progress, building on his experience and success in various coaching roles within women’s football.
Appointed as director of football at Leicester Women in July 2022, Kirk’s transition to the managerial role has been marked by a positive impact on the team.
His managerial career began with Hibernian, followed by a brief stint with the men’s team Preston Athletic. He then moved into management within the Women’s Super League, spending three years with Bristol City before joining Manchester United as an assistant manager.
Despite leaving the Manchester United role after six months, Kirk continued his journey in women’s football, becoming Everton’s manager in December 2018. Although his time with Everton ended in 2021 due to a challenging start to the season, his reputation as a coach with a track record of positive contributions to women’s football remains intact.
While Kirk’s absence is notable for the upcoming Women’s FA Cup quarter-final, the club is being led by assistant manager Jennifer Foster and first-team coach Stephen Kirby. The internal process involving Kirk will be monitored, and further decisions will be determined in the course of time.