Kirk named Durham boss two years after Leicester sacking

Kirk named Durham boss two years after Leicester sackingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Willie Kirk guided Leicester from the bottom of the WSL to safety in 2022-23, overturning a record points deficitByAlastair TelferBBC Sport journalistPublished2 minutes agoWillie Kirk has been appointed head coach of Women's Super League 2 side Durham, 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 - with Kirk returning for the first time to English football.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).Personal relationships between players and coaches in women's football have been criticised 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".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.'I've not committed a serious crime, there's no jail term, but it feels like one'Published26 March 2025Coach told FA Maddy Cusack was a liar, inquest hearsAttributionNewsPublished19 hours ago"Durham has established itself as a respected club with strong values and a clear identity, and...