The crisis over intimate relationships between coaches and players in women’s football has escalated after Telegraph Sport became aware of at least 36 cases amid the fallout from Jonathan Morgan’s sacking.
The issue has come to public attention following Morgan’s departure from Sheffield United in early February. He admitted having a relationship with a teenage Leicester City player while in charge of the club.
Since Morgan’s departure, Telegraph Sport has received further reports of dozens of relationships between players and coaches in the top six levels of the England women’s league pyramid.
They include relationships between backroom coaching staff and players, as well as between managers or head coaches and players.
All 36 are said to be between adults, and many have been described as ‘consensual’ and ‘loving’. However, in many cases, players have told Telegraph Sport that the relationships are having an impact on the team’s dynamics or morale. Others have described cases at their own club as “unprofessional”.
Many of the alleged cases involve female coaches in same-sex relationships, but they cannot be named for legal reasons relating to their right to privacy around their sexuality.
The issue hit the headlines last Friday when Leicester City Women manager Willie Kirk was suspended pending an investigation into an allegation that he had been involved in a relationship with a player. Kirk has made no comment on the allegation, while Leicester have said Kirk is assisting the club with an “internal process”.
Assistant manager Jennifer Foster took charge of Liverpool’s Women’s FA Cup final victory last Saturday on less than 24 hours’ notice and held a pre-match press conference on Thursday as she continues to take charge while Kirk is suspended.
A number of Women’s Super League managers have this week condemned the coach-player relationship in football. Chelsea manager Emma Hayes said relations between teammates were inappropriate and her comments prompted a response from one of her own players. Defender Jess Carter, who is in a relationship with Germany and Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger, liked a post on
Hayes attempted to clarify her comments Friday evening, saying, “I talked to her [Carter]. This is all I’m going to say about it. I don’t want to make any more clickbait headlines. I think sometimes that’s the case when we have honest conversations about things, so of course I’m disappointed about that. Jess and I had a chat today, as well as other players on the team.
“They know exactly who I am and they know exactly what my intentions were. But I have to expect that I should be the most educated, non-clickbait headline coach, and I let myself down yesterday. I didn’t think it was right to use the term ‘inappropriate’ for the players.
“Nevertheless, if we have honest conversations about these things, I don’t take those things back, but I have no criticism whatsoever of any player in my dressing room. Their professionalism, for what they have given to the club, regardless of their status, Regardless of who they are in a relationship with, I have been incredibly supportive of all players. I have been a champion of equity and equality.
“As I keep saying to my players, even if we have disagreements in life, we should not play them out publicly. We have to have those conversations with each other, because what you have to do in the workplace is important and everyone understands that. . And I think you saw from the performance tonight that everyone is absolutely invested in what we’re doing. Great performance from everyone, including Jess.”
Former Manchester United manager Casey Stoney, head coach of San Diego Wave FC in the United States, said player-coach relationships should “never” happen and that “this shouldn’t even be a debate.” Aston Villa manager Carla Ward said the relationship between player and coach was “unacceptable”, while Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall echoed Hayes’ comments, calling them “highly inappropriate”.
Relationships between players and coaches are not formally prohibited in cases involving adults, but a number of clubs in the top six leagues are believed to have codes of conduct that at least discourage, if not ban, such relationships.
Speaking to Telegraph Sport, several players have expressed concerns about the inconsistency of different guidelines at the different clubs they have played for during their careers. Some minor league players said their contracts don’t mention the issue at all.
In addition to player-coach relationships, a host of player-player relationships are already well known in women’s football, including high-profile examples such as that between Arsenal teammates Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema, which Mead discussed at length in her autobiography.
A Football Association spokesperson told Telegraph Sport: “It is the responsibility of the WSL and Women’s Championship clubs to implement their own codes of conduct for staff and players.
“Codes of conduct will be drawn up in accordance with each club’s individual HR policies and employment guidelines and are expected to set appropriate boundaries in professional relationships.
“The player contracts and the leagues’ mandatory ‘unacceptable conduct policy’ provide players with the right framework to express any grievances or complaints.”