Carla Ward: "Our job and our duty is to protect players, to cross that line, it can't happen"

Aston Villa Manager Carla Ward spoke to the media ahead of her side's trip to Walton Hall Park to face Everton on Saturday. 

Carla Ward: "Our job and our duty is to protect players, to cross that line, it can't happen"
BOREHAMWOOD, ENGLAND - MARCH 06: Carla Ward, Manager of Aston Villa, looks on prior to the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup Semi Final match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at Meadow Park on March 06, 2024 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins - The FA/The FA via Getty Images )
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By Finley Chung

Ward spoke honestly on the issue of player and coach relationships within the Women's game, following the news last week that Leicester boss, Willie Kirk had been suspended pending an investigation, following reports of a relationship with a player. 

  • "We can't cross that line"

Player and coach relationships have been even more under the microscope since the tragic death of Maddy Cusack and the ensuing investigation into former Sheffield United manager, Johnathan Morgan following Cusack's death. 

Since the information about Willie Kirk came to light, the microscope on not only this issue, but the women's game in general has gotten more and more close, with Ward making her feelings abundantly clear when speaking to the media. 

"It makes me really angry. It just can't happen, we have a duty of care to these players to make sure they can come to a place where they feel safe, where they feel backed, that they feel looked after. I just do not understand anyone that crosses that line."

(Photo via Neville Williams/Getty Images)
(Photo via Neville Williams/Getty Images)
  • The professionalisation of the women's game, a line not to be crossed:

A fantastic piece by Kathryn Batte in the Daily Mail yesterday referenced Mark Sampson's sacking as Head Coach of the England Lionesses following reports of a relationship he had with a player at the time. It seems as if the much needed conversation about such relationships in now a professional level is more crucial than ever. 

"When you talk about where does the line get drawn, it's very simple. When the game got professionalised, you cannot cross that line. There's talk of pre professionalised, like when I was a player, it was a very social aspect. 

"It's parent and teacher in my opinion, you just cannot do it. It should a hundred percent be a sackable offence.

"Some Championship clubs could argue that they aren't professional and that would be their case, but most of them are professional, even though they've only just turned that way. We know it isn't officially a professional league, but let's be honest, it is, right?

"The top two divisions in Women's Football, if we're going to take Women's Football seriously, it cannot happen." 

  • 'Reporting it' isn't that easy:

When asked about the issue of reporting such issues, Ward touched on her time as a player, and also what she feels is the reason why there isn't many safe reporting mechanisms for players. 

"It's the biggest problem, essentially if you are the manager and you are crossing the line, you cannot go to that person to report it. You can at some clubs of course, but it's a complete abuse of power. I think some people have taken advantage of certain positions and I do not like that, I do not think it's right.

"Let me set an example, a Director of Football, Sporting Director, whatever you want to call it, they've done wrong or are doing wrong and then a Head Coach or Manager does it, you cannot possibly go to that person.

"The first thing they will do is rip up your contract. I've seen it. When I was a player, I saw this a lot, I know I didn't play when it was professionalised, but I've seen it, I've heard it. The only way to clean the game up is to highlight it and get rid of it." 

(Photo via NurPhoto/Getty Images)
(Photo via NurPhoto/Getty Images)
  • Both teams having to tinker:

It certainly doesn't look like it will be a comfortable team selection for Carla Ward this weekend, with the Villa boss confirming that Daphne Van Domselaar, Lucy Staniforth, Lucy Parker and Kirsty Hanson "are all out" of the weekend's clash. 

"I think Brian will be sat there thinking who have Villa got available, how are Villa going to play. 

"Both sides have had injuries, both sides have big players missing, both sides have had to look at different ways of playing. I can't imagine anyone is going to predict both starting line ups or the way's both sides are going to play. 

"We were in a good place before the Liverpool game but that game and the first half against Arsenal in particular hurt us, so we need to go there and get points back, if we do we'll be in touching distance of that top six, if we don't, we'll be looking down the barrel so we have to make sure we pick up points."