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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Relieved of managerial duties in March</li><li>Internal investigation led to dismissal</li><li>Episode has sparked widespread debate</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Ex-Leicester boss Willie Kirk opens up on player relationship that led to his sacking at WSL club and insists he wants to remain in women's game

Kirk was <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/leicester-sack-women-manager-willie-kirk-investigation-alleged-relationship-player/bltb6e01ecd30347df2" target="_blank">relieved of his managerial duties by the Foxes in late March</a> following an internal investigation. His dismissal has sparked widespread debate, with <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/lionesses-sarina-wiegman-regulation-player-coach-relationships-leicester-willie-kirk/blt97d4be2fee571a39" target="_blank">questions asked of whether it is ever right for a coach to enter into a romantic coupling with a member of their playing staff</a>.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Kirk accepts that he crossed that line, having initially knocked back the advances of his suitor as he adhered to a “code of conduct”. That situation changed following an injury to the player concerned and eventually led to the 45-year-old Scot being “pulled into meeting” following a “complaint”, with the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/leicester-women-investigation-manager-willie-kirk-relationship-with-player/blt7a8a89ebdcb98c6a" target="_blank">decision taken to rip up his contract</a>.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

While he has faced plenty of criticism, Kirk has told the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-13249841/Leicester-Women-sack-manager-Willie-Kirk-following-investigation-alleged-relationship-female-player.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> of finding himself at the centre of a storm that has been blown out of proportion: “From admitting it, I was treated and felt like a criminal. I feel the club could have dealt with it better. I felt there was a lack of consistency with previous investigations. It’s on me, it’s my fault, I should never have gone through with anything. There is a code of conduct, I was involved with putting it in place, I was certainly involved with living by it on a day-to-day basis and trying to drive our standards, so it is absolutely ridiculous that I’m the one that’s broken it. I think the way it was dealt with created a lot of uncertainty and rumours and counter-rumours. I don’t think that helped the players or the staff and I think we’re now seeing that in results. They got through the Liverpool game but they’ve picked up two draws in the last seven games. As difficult as it would have been, I felt I was due an audience with the staff and the players to explain myself and apologise face-to-face and to give my side of the story. It might not have kept me there, but we’ll never know.”

WHAT KIRK SAID

He added on not being able to give his side of the story: “It’s been frustrating. Wrongly, I think a lot of that frustration has turned into hate. I’ve hated myself. I hated the club. I’ve had moments where I have resented the relationship even though the relationship is still going on. This wasn’t a manager exerting their power who said ‘jump into bed with me and I’ll play you in the starting XI’. I’ve just carried this hate, which is wrong, but it’s come from this frustration of not being able to speak about it. I’m not a criminal, I’ve not committed a crime. I’ve jeopardised an environment and that is a pretty big thing. The club made mistakes in the past, I came in, turned around a points gap that had never been turned around before, retained WSL status. Now I’ve made a mistake and they don’t want anything to do with me. I felt let down by the club in terms of that.”

'I'VE NOT COMMITTED A CRIME'

Despite losing a prominent WSL post on the back of “one mistake”, Kirk – who admits to having shunned interest from the men’s game in the past – is keen to return to management in women’s football and admits to being due to speak with “a couple of clubs outside the UK” in the very near future.

WHAT NEXT?

Ex-Leicester boss Willie Kirk opens up on player relationship that led to his sacking at WSL club and insists he wants to remain in women's game | Goal.com India

Willie Kirk has opened up on the player relationship that led to his dismissal as manager of WSL side Leicester.

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