Liverpool Women have parted company with head coach Matt Beard for a second time, the Reds have confirmed.
The 47-year-old rejoined the Merseyside outfit in 2021 after previously spending three years at the helm from 2012 to 2015, during which he led Liverpool to back-to-back Women's Super League titles.
In his first season following his return, Beard steered the Reds back to the top flight from the Women's Championship in the 2021-22 campaign, but they are currently languishing in an underwhelming seventh place in the WSL table.
A 4-0 defeat to Manchester City on February 16 left Liverpool 15 points off the top three, and the two-time WSL champions have now made the "difficult decision" to sever ties with Beard.
"We have all experienced some fantastic moments with Matt as manager of LFC Women and we express our gratitude for his significant contribution," a joint statement from Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon, LFC chief executive officer Billy Hogan and communications director Susan Black read.
"Our priority was to return this team to where it belongs and we collectively achieved that in 2022 by winning promotion to the WSL.
"We need to build on that momentum and although this has been a difficult decision, we believe it provides us with the best opportunity for future success on the pitch."
Who will take over as Liverpool Women's head coach?
© Imago
Liverpool have confirmed that they have started their search for a permanent successor to Beard, but for the time being, Amber Whiteley has been appointed to the role of interim head coach.
Whiteley previously worked as an Under-21s coach and technical director for Liverpool Women's Regional Talent Club before being promoted to the position of first-team assistant manager for the 2020-21 season.
She then replaced Vicky Jepson as caretaker manager for the second half of that season and continued to work as part of Beard's backroom team when the 47-year-old returned for a second spell at the helm in 2021.
Beard - who has also taken charge of Millwall, Chelsea, Boston Breakers, Bristol City and West Ham United - leaves with a record of 42 wins, 17 draws and 27 defeats from 86 matches across all competitions from his second spell as Liverpool manager.
The 47-year-old is the third WSL manager to leave his job this season after Jonas Eidevall (Arsenal) and Robert de Pauw (Aston Villa), and Whiteley's first game in her second stint as interim head coach comes away to Crystal Palace on Sunday following the international break.
Ben Knapton
