Leicester Women’s boss Willie Kirk ‘assisting the club with an internal process’

Leicester manager Willie Kirk is “assisting the club with an internal process” and will not be on the touchline for Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final at Liverpool, the Women’s Super League side have said.

The 45-year-old Scot has been with the Foxes since the summer of 2022, initially as a director of football before succeeding Lydia Bedford as boss in November that year.

A Leicester spokesperson said on Friday: “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’s career in women’s football has seen him manage Hibernian and Bristol City, spend time on Manchester United’s coaching staff and then take charge of Everton in December 2018.

He spent just under three years with the Toffees, which including finishing as runners-up in the 2019-20 FA Cup.

Last season he guided Leicester from the bottom of the WSL to safety, and they are currently seventh in the table.