Kate Longhurst And Caroline Weir Leaving Liverpool Ladies

Gather around, because I am full of righteous indignation directed towards Liverpool Ladies.

The Lady Reds have been in some kind of terrible upheaval for years since Matt Beard left in 2015 to manage the now defunct Boston Breakers. That’s not new information. They’ve finished out of the top four the past two seasons and have lost some of their most influential players during the summer transfer windows, with nary a replacement lined up.

You’d think after finishing sixth this season, they’d start to get some kind of grip on this spiral they find themselves in. The hits just keep coming though, as this side of the Reds continues to deteriorate without adequate encouragement and resources.

Now the Ladies are losing two of their most important players as Kate Longhurst and, my personal favorite, Caroline Weir announced they are moving on from Liverpool. Longhurst’s contract expires this summer and she (and/or the club, they’re not clear) opted not to renew it. Of course, as is the usual with the Ladies, details are scarce as to the nature of the leaving and where she will be going from here. Longhurst joined the Ladies from Chelsea in 2013 and was instrumental in the title winning seasons of 2013 and 2014, and leaves with 91 appearances for the Reds under her belt.

To top it all off, the club announced on Friday that Scottish midfielder Caroline Weir would be moving to Manchester City for an undisclosed fee. Weir joined the Reds in 2016 and was voted Player of the Year that season and became one of Liverpool’s leading goal scorers this season, with 6 goals in 24 appearances, with 18 goals in her entire Liverpool career.

Speaking of the move, Weir said: “I have really enjoyed my time at Liverpool Ladies and will take away some great memories. I feel as though I have taken my game to the next level since joining the club and would like to express my gratitude to everyone at the club for helping me to improve as a player.

“However, the chance to join Manchester City Women and play UEFA Women’s Champions League football was too good of an opportunity to turn down.”

Can’t say that this one doesn’t hurt, but its more like that hurt that turns into anger immediately after. Weir becomes the fourth major player to leave Liverpool this season, for a better opportunity. Why can’t we hold onto these incredibly talented women? What is this side of the club neglecting to make these women feel like their careers aren’t sustainable on Merseyside? A once promising club is falling ill to a toxic combination of lack of ambition and lack of resources, it seems. With no new transfers on the horizon, it’s hard to believe that whoever is running our Ladies are willing to pull themselves out of this mess.