15 March 2024 , 16:43
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Everton boss Brian Sorensen believes player-player relationships aren't "in the same ball park" as player-coach relationships.
Leicester City boss Willie Kirk is being investigated by the club following an allegation of a player-coach relationship. Women’s Super League coaches were asked about the general nature of player-coach relationships in women’s football this week.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes said on Thursday that player-coach and player-player relationships are inappropriate and the latter can make coaching decisions “difficult”.
On the topic, the soon-to-be-departing Hayes said in her press conference: "Player-coach relationships are inappropriate, player-to-player relationships are inappropriate."
She added: "We have to look at it in the context of where the game has come from. We're in a professional era now where the expectation in place for players and coaches is such that all of our focus and attention has got to be on having the top standards.
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"Women's football as we know has been a very amateur game for a long period of time. I say this for player-to-player relationships as well. There's challenges that we are moving to a point where we should be moving past those places.”
On Friday, Liverpool boss Matt Beard seemed to counter Hayes' sentiment, saying: “I personally don’t see [player-player] relationships being a problem. I think one in five people meet their long-term partner in work environments.
"I think the key thing is, if there is a relationship, that it doesn't affect your day-to-day job. I've got no issues with it."
Liverpool boss Matt Beard believes player-player relationships are not an issue (Getty Images)Everton manager Sorensen said he never experienced a problem with player-player relationships. "I can understand why it could become a problem because as I said before, the game has become so much more professional," he said.
"I don't think it's in the same ball park as [player-coach relationships]."
In the Women’s Super League, many high-profile players are in relationships, including Chelsea duo Jess Carter and Ann-Catrin Berger, as well as Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Amy Turner and Seattle Reign’s Angharad James became the first WSL couple to marry in 2023, while Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, who is out with an ACL injury, is engaged to West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis.
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