Leicester’s manager Willie Kirk at a training session this week.Photograph: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC/Getty Images
Leicester City Women are investigating their manager, Willie Kirk, over allegations of a relationship with one of their players and he will not be on the touchline for their game at Liverpool on Saturday.
It is understood that Kirk has been suspended pending the investigation into the allegations.
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 will take charge of the team for Saturday’s FA Women’s Cup tie at Liverpool.”
Kirk has been approached for comment.
Kirk was appointed as director of football at the Women’s Super League club in July 2022 and appointed manager on 3 November of the same year, taking over from Lydia Bedford.
When the 45-year-old took charge of Leicester the team had gone six games without picking up a point and he helped them to finish the season on 16 points, in 10th, above Brighton and relegated Reading.
Kirk began his senior managerial career with Hibernian and had a brief spell with the Preston Athletic men’s team before moving into management within the Women’s Super League. He spent three years with Bristol City before being recruited as assistant manager to Casey Stoney at Manchester United.
After six months Kirk left the role to become Everton’s manager in December 2018 but he was sacked after a poor start to the 2021-22 season, with the 2020 FA Cup finalists picking up two wins from their opening five fixtures.
Leicester sit seventh in the WSL, having reached 16 points with seven games left to play. They play Liverpool in an FA Cup quarter-final.
