Willie Kirk appointed Durham head coach two years after Leicester

Willie Kirk has been appointed head coach of Women's Super League 2 side Durham, marking his return to English football two years after he was sacked by Leicester City Women's team for having a relationship with a player.

The 48-year-old was dismissed in March 2024 following an internal investigation that found he was in a physical relationship with a player, breaching the club's code of conduct. Player-coach relationships are not illegal as long as no minors are involved, but they have been criticized for potentially creating a power imbalance in a squad and putting young women at risk. England manager Sarina Wiegman has described them as "very inappropriate" and "not healthy."

Return to English football

Kirk's appointment at Durham comes after he recently left Swedish top-flight side Djurgardens, having also managed Linkoping in the Damallsvenskan last year. He has spent 16 years in the women's game and previously managed Everton, Bristol City and Hibernian, with a stint also as an assistant coach at Manchester United.

Durham's statement made no mention of his dismissal from Leicester City. Codes of conduct among players and managers are a condition of clubs getting a WSL licence, and every club must have a safeguarding officer in place. BBC Sport has reached out to Durham for comment about the appointment and to the Football Association (FA) and Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).

Kirk's call for a second chance

A year on from being sacked, Kirk called for a second chance, revealing he was yet to receive an interview after applying for every WSL and English women's second-division vacancy apart from Arsenal and Manchester City. He told the FA that Maddy Cusack was a liar, an inquest heard.

"I've not committed a serious crime, there's no jail term, but it feels like one," Kirk said at the time.

Durham's new era

Durham finished 10th in the Women's Super League 2 last season and announced in March that head coach Adam Furness would move into a new role within the club. Kirk joins the Blues with a clear vision.

"Durham has established itself as a respected club with strong values and a clear identity, and I'm excited by the opportunity to work with the players and staff to build on those foundations," Kirk said about his appointment. "I believe in creating an environment where people are challenged, supported and driven to improve every day."

"We're delighted to have Willie coaching the first-team," director of Durham Women Lee Sanders added. "His experience and track record of success in developing top players speaks for itself."

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