Everton Women leave ‘trail of shock’ after triple Finch Farm dismissal
Everton Women have made a huge decision to sack manager Brian Sorensen.
Sorensen has been the manager of the Women’s side since 2022 and signed a contract extension in April that should have kept him at the club until 2027.
Two of his assistants, Stephen Neligan and Ashley Tootle have also been dismissed from their roles at Finch Farm as the Friedkin Group make a change.
The Athletic reported on 4 February that under-18s coach Scott Phelan has been placed in charge on an interim basis.
What does Everton squad feel about Sorensen sacking?
Sorensen‘s sacking came as a surprise, as he is highly rated and had secured a sixth-place finish and two eighth places in his previous seasons.
Recruitment had been tailored around his needs, with Zara Kramzar brought in from Roma for a club record fee of £250,000 on deadline day.
However, Everton Women have not been good enough this season, and he has ultimately paid the price for that.
The report reveals that the squad and the rest of the staff were told in a team meeting at 10:15 am GMT that Sorenson and his assistants had been dismissed.
It states that the decision left a “trail of shock”, with Everton sources telling the outlet that there was a “startling sense of surprise.”
Where has it all gone wrong for Sorensen?
Sorensen secured his first home win of the Women’s Super League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on 1 February.
That result left the Blues fourth from bottom in the table, four points clear of Liverpool, who occupy the last spot in the division.
A feeling that change was needed has been developing over the past few months, and Sorensen was unsure of his best team, often using players out of their natural position as he experimented with his side.
The expectations increased with the signings made in the summer, which should have seen the Toffees challenging higher up the table.
| Position | Played | GD | Points |
| 9. Everton | 14 | -10 | 11 |
| 10. Leicester | 13 | -15 | 9 |
| 11. West Ham | 14 | -20 | 8 |
| 12. Liverpool | 14 | -13 | 7 |
However, that progress has not been apparent, and they were dragged into the relegation battle, far away from the early-season excitement.
That has been fatal for Sorensen, and the process to find his long-term replacement will now begin, to try and turn the campaign around.
It is disappointing, but the right decision has ultimately been made, and the club can now focus on avoiding the potential relegation play-off at the business end of the season.