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Since taking over the Liverpool FC Women’s side on an interim basis in January, Amber Whiteley has gotten her squad into an impressive run of form. After losing her first game in charge to league leaders Leicester City, Whiteley has guided her side to a six game unbeaten streak. In March, her side won two games and drew one.
Beyond just the results, Whiteley has built her team into a cohesive side, displaying patterns of play that had been absent previously in the season. Whiteley changed the shape of the team, moving to a 4-2-3-1 that allowed the team to showcase some of the great young midfield talent like Missy Bo Kearns. The team has done a much better job at controlling the tempo of the game, working the ball through the midfield before getting the ball to players making runs into the box. For her efforts, Whiteley was awarded the FA Women’s Championship Manager of the Month.
“I’m very proud to collect this award on behalf of the team,” said Whiteley.
“This one is for all of us; every staff member and every player. It’s a reflection of the hard work that has been put in both on and away from the pitch in recent months. We’ll continue to push right the way through to the end of the season and aim to finish as strongly as possible.”
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Marieanne Spacey-Cale, who is Chair of the League Managers Association panel, had some glowing words about Liverpool’s interim manager.
“Since Amber took on the reins, Liverpool have regained their form and are competing with Sheffield United to finish third in the league,” Spacey-Cale said.
“The club is building momentum going into next season, when Liverpool will be aiming to mount a strong promotion challenge, and Amber is playing an important role in laying the foundations for this.”
While Whiteley has impressed during her stint in charge of the club, it is still unclear as to who will lead the side next season. Liverpool advertised the manager position back in February, and have apparently conducted interviews, but no news has come out as to who has interviewed and what the timeline is for naming a new manager. No matter what happens, Amber Whiteley has done an impressive job in a difficult situation, and has shown she has the chops to manage at a high level.