Leicester manager Kirk under investigation over alleged relationship with player
Leicester Women manager Willie Kirk under investigation over alleged relationship with player
Mar 9, 2024
Leicester City Women manager Willie Kirk is under investigation over an alleged relationship with one of his players.
The Guardian reported that Kirk, 45, is understood to have been suspended by his club pending the investigation into the allegations and as a result, missed his side’s win over Liverpool at Prenton Park on Saturday.
Morgan was sacked by Sheffield United last month after the player, who said she was 17 when it started, went public about what her mother has described as an ‘inappropriate and immoral’ relationship.”
A Leicester spokesperson said: “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 took charge of the team in Kirk’s absence for Saturday’s FA Women’s Cup quarter-final victory at Liverpool.
Leicester beat Liverpool 2-0 to secure a semi-final spot thanks to a goal in either half from forward Jutta Rantala.
Kirk was also due to speak at the Women in Football (WIF) conference at Wembley Stadium later this month. WIF is an organisation that aims to champion female talent in a bid to bring about a change in attitudes to women working in the industry.
Kirk is represented by agent Jo Tongue, a director of Women in Football, but his bio has been deleted from her company website. Tongue previously represented Morgan but removed him as her client after the details emerged of his relationship with the teenager at Leicester.
When approached by The Athletic, Tongue said that she would not be making any comment while an investigation was underway.
Kirk, who represented Preston Athletic during his playing career, began his senior managerial career with Hibernian in 2006.
The Scot began managing the Women’s Super League (WSL) in 2015 with Bristol City before becoming Manchester United assistant manager in the summer of 2018.
Kirk managed Everton between 2018 and 2021 before being appointed director of football at Leicester in July 2022. He became Leicester manager that same year, replacing Lydia Bedford.
Leicester, who are seventh in the WSL, are next in action away to Tottenham in the league on March 17.
(Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
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Daniel Taylor is a senior writer for The Athletic and a four-time Football Journalist of the Year, as well as being named Sports Feature Writer of the Year in 2022. He was previously the chief football writer for The Guardian and The Observer and spent nearly 20 years working for the two titles. Daniel has written five books on the sport. Follow Daniel on Twitter @DTathletic
National
Leicester Women manager Willie Kirk under investigation over alleged relationship with player
Mar 9, 2024
Leicester City Women manager Willie Kirk is under investigation over an alleged relationship with one of his players.
The Guardian reported that Kirk, 45, is understood to have been suspended by his club pending the investigation into the allegations and as a result, missed his side’s win over Liverpool at Prenton Park on Saturday.
Morgan was sacked by Sheffield United last month after the player, who said she was 17 when it started, went public about what her mother has described as an ‘inappropriate and immoral’ relationship.”
A Leicester spokesperson said: “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 took charge of the team in Kirk’s absence for Saturday’s FA Women’s Cup quarter-final victory at Liverpool.
Leicester beat Liverpool 2-0 to secure a semi-final spot thanks to a goal in either half from forward Jutta Rantala.
Kirk was also due to speak at the Women in Football (WIF) conference at Wembley Stadium later this month. WIF is an organisation that aims to champion female talent in a bid to bring about a change in attitudes to women working in the industry.
Kirk is represented by agent Jo Tongue, a director of Women in Football, but his bio has been deleted from her company website. Tongue previously represented Morgan but removed him as her client after the details emerged of his relationship with the teenager at Leicester.
When approached by The Athletic, Tongue said that she would not be making any comment while an investigation was underway.
Kirk, who represented Preston Athletic during his playing career, began his senior managerial career with Hibernian in 2006.
The Scot began managing the Women’s Super League (WSL) in 2015 with Bristol City before becoming Manchester United assistant manager in the summer of 2018.
Kirk managed Everton between 2018 and 2021 before being appointed director of football at Leicester in July 2022. He became Leicester manager that same year, replacing Lydia Bedford.
Leicester, who are seventh in the WSL, are next in action away to Tottenham in the league on March 17.
(Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
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Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage o
f your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.
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