Amber Whiteley has impressed since taking over from Matt Beard at Liverpool Women
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Interim manager Amber Whiteley of Liverpool during a training session at AXA Melwood Training Centre on February 28, 2025
(Image: Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Liverpool interim manager Amber Whiteley says she’ll be putting herself forward for the permanent post with the women’s side after winning her first three games in charge.
Whiteley took over from ex-boss Matt Beard after he left the club during the international break in February. They had lost seven of their 14 league games, and sat just nine points above Crystal Palace in relegation.
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But since stepping up from her assistant manager role, Whiteley's coached the team to a commanding Anfield victory over Manchester United. The weekend before, her side also knocked Women’s Super League giants Arsenal out of the FA Cup.
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Now, she’s hoping to be given the permanent role.
“I’ll put in,” she told the media ahead of Liverpool’s league clash with Arsenal on Saturday.
“I’ve always been quite open about wanting the position because that is a role I will move into in the future. I think that’s where my skills set lies."
She added: "We’ll see what happens on that front but the focus has got to be on Arsenal this weekend.”
Whiteley is expecting an improved Arsenal side to the one her team faced two weeks ago when they travelled to Meadow Park. After the 1-0 loss, it’s expected they’ll be out for revenge.
“I think they’ll be disappointed with their performance from the FA Cup game,” said Whiteley.
“I thought we were good, and I thought we caused them problems.
"But I expect them to be improved from the last game and we’ll need to be ready for that. We’ll need to be ready to raise our levels.”
The Reds boss has quite a selection headache to tackle this weekend. Since she’s been in charge, Liverpool’s form has been excellent and several of her players impressed under the lights at Anfield last week.
“Obviously it’s difficult to change the team when you come off the back of two good wins, two good performances, two clean sheets, but players have been knocking at the door," she said.
"The ones that came into the game on Friday were absolutely outstanding. Fuka Nagano, Jenna Clark, Alejandra Bernabé, it couldn't be a real problem for this weekend.
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But, it’s a great problem to have she says, and reveals she been pleased with the intensity of her squad in training.
"That's exactly the way you want it,” she said. "We want to try and replicate the levels of intensity that we're facing in games, the same sort of problems, and we've been in a much better place in that respect.
"I think it's made a huge difference going into the games. The players are better prepared."