Matt Beard: Leading Liverpool back into WSL would be personal fairytale

Liverpool Women’s manager Matt Beard insists it would be a personal fairytale if he can guide them back to the Barclays Women’s Super League.

The 44-year-old led the club to successive WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 before joining Boston Breakers in the United States.

After further spells at West Ham and Bristol City he returned to Liverpool last summer to find them in a much-changed position after a controversial relegation in the Covid-curtailed 2019-20 season.

After a disappointing third-place finish in the second tier last season, Beard, following significant backing from the club in terms of recruitment of players and staff, has lifted Liverpool to the top of the Championship with a seven-point lead over London City Lionesses and nine matches remaining.

“I’ve had success here before but coming back is sometimes a big gamble,” Beard told the PA news agency.

“It would be a fairytale really if it does happen, just for me personally because I have such fond memories of my time here before.

“But the immediate pressure wasn’t there to do that. We have a three to five-year plan as a club and part of that is to get back in the Super League in a two-year period.

“No-one has a divine right to be in the Super League. Just because we are Liverpool Football Club it doesn’t mean we have to be in that top division.

We have to earn that right to be in the Super League and I do believe at this moment we are earning that right - but there is a long way to go.- Matt Beard

“I think I have got a squad that can compete at that level, although we will need to improve the squad if we get promoted.

“I can’t talk about what happened in the last few years but for whatever reason on the pitch they just lost their way.

“We have to earn that right