Liverpool Women appoint former first-team coach as managing director

Published on:

04 Apr 2025, 9:25 am

Liverpool Women have welcomed a new managing director to their board.

It comes just over a month after Matt Beard was sacked from his role as Liverpool Women manager, with the 47-year-old being dismissed at the end of February.

Amber Whitely has taken on the role of interim manager while the Merseyside club search for a permanent replacement for Beard, and has won three of her five matches in charge.

Liverpool currently sit sixth in the Women's Super League, over 27 points behind table-topping Chelsea.

The Reds are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but will have to beat the league leaders to reach the final, with that game taking place on 12 April.

(Credit: Imago)

Andy O'Boyle appointed managing director

As reported by David Ornstein, Andy O'Boyle has rejoined Liverpool after leaving the club back in 2017, and will take up the role of women's team managing director.

O'Boyle joined Liverpool in 2011, and worked for the men's team as head of fitness elite development, before becoming a first-team fitness coach in 2015.

After the Northern Irishman left Anfield, he spent some time at Manchester United as deputy football director, before leaving the role last year.

During his time at the Red Devils, he was part of the team that worked on transfers in and out of the club and was notably involved in last summer's transfer window, in which United bought the likes of Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, and Matthias De Ligt.

Russ Fraser, who was appointed into the newly-created women's team managing director role in 2021, is the man making way for O'Boyle.

🚨 Liverpool appoint Andy O’Boyle as managing director of women’s set-up. Previously worked for #LFC on men’s side & returns in senior leadership position after roles as head of elite performance at PL + deputy football director with Man Utd @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/2w7Q6ie4zu
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) April 4, 2025

Liverpool hoping O'Boyle will bring back the success

Since winning their second WSL title back in 2014, Liverpool have not finished higher than 4th in the league.

It has been another disappointing season for the club, who are currently closer to the relegation zone than the European places.

It appears that the Liverpool board feel that O'Boyle is the man who can help end their 11-year wait for notable silverware.

However, currently the Reds are far from even being a title-challenging side, and with Chelsea on course to win their sixth consecutive league title this season, the gap is only growing.

Matt Beard