NewsMatt Beard named WSL Manager of the Season at LMA Awards
Matt Beard was named Barclays Women's Super League Manager of the Season at the League Managers Association Awards on Tuesday.
The Liverpool FC Women boss was recognised for guiding his squad to fourth in the 2023-24 WSL.
Having finished seventh upon their return to the top flight in 2022-23, Beard's side took further strides this term to secure the club's highest placing in the division since 2017.
A four-game winning run to end the campaign – including victories against Manchester United and eventual champions Chelsea – helped seal a spot in the top four.
Beard said: "We're delighted with the season. These awards are humbling and I'm very, very grateful to everyone that voted. It's not just about me, it's about the team too. They have to go out and perform and the staff work relentlessly behind the scenes to help support everything that we do as well.
"It's about the collective and that's the staff and the players. Everyone deserves recognition for that."
He added: "I think you can see from the team performances of late it's a lot of the work that we've done and the players have done. You can start to see the understanding of it on a more consistent basis. I think at the beginning of the season we had a fantastic start by winning at the Emirates [against Arsenal] and I think it gave us that platform to kick on.
"If you look at May as an example, it was a tough month, we played Bristol City, who at that point weren't relegated and were fighting for every point.
"We then play Chelsea and won 4-3 and then beat Manchester United 1-0 and finish off with a great win at Leicester. If I just look at the consistency of the performance levels and the character within the group in all those games, I think it speaks volumes for the work that has gone on this year.
"I've said this a few times this year, but it's exciting to see where this team can go."
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