6 months ago
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Matt Beard, Manager of Liverpool, arrives at the stadium prior to the Barclays Women´s Super League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Prenton Park on May 01, 2024 in Birkenhead, England. | Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Beard has confirmed four departures at the end of this season
Liverpool Women’s coach Matt Beard has extended his gratitude and well-wishes to Emma Koivisto, Melissa Lawley, Miri Taylor and Shanice van de Sanden, all of whom he confirmed will be departing the club at the close of the season.
Saying the club will “miss them all,” Beard went on to honor each of his departing players in turn:
“[The choice to part ways was an] Absolutely tough decision because Emma [Kovisto] is a fantastic person. She leaves nothing on the pitch or the training pitch, so it was a real tough one, especially when we were discussing it as a staff group. I think Emma is at a stage where she wants to play week in, week out. We’re going to miss everyone that is leaving and we wish her every success for the future.
“Mel [Lawley] is a fantastic character. We’ve obviously been playing with a front two, so her chances have been a little bit limited as a winger. Mel is at an age where she wants to be playing. Personality-wise we’re going to miss her – I’m definitely going to miss her laugh! She has been a great servant to the football club, to play over 100 times for any club is special. We wish her every success for the future.
“Miri [Taylor] is such a bubbly character. When we looked at it in January, she wasn’t playing much prior to that. It was a tough [midfield] group for her to break into; whenever she did, she did well. And what a start to the season, scoring the winning goal at the Emirates. So she has made some fantastic memories at the club. She has done well when she has been at Aston Villa on loan this year. Again, we wish her all the best.
“Shanice [van de Sanden]’s personality is infectious, she’s a leader. She’s had a lot of injury problems while being back at the club, but even in those moments she has been a big voice, a big support of the girls and the team. And look at some of her performances last year and this year; the Brighton game as an example was a fantastic performance, last year when she came on at Goodison in the Merseyside derby she changed the game. We’re definitely going to miss her character, her personality because she is unique. We’ve had to look at the availability for minutes over the last two years; with that in mind, unfortunately Shanice will be moving on. She is a fantastic player and we’re determined to get her fully fit for her next move and we wish her all the luck.”
To all four departing players, Beard’s message is clear: “You’ll always have a home here.”
