Everton put in foundations to challenge for Super League
Transfer kitty and scouting network will receive boost New structure ends period of low investment by club
Everton have pumped significant investment into their women’s team in the hope of rivalling Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal, and reaching the Champions League.
Manager Willie Kirk – who previously told The Sunday Telegraph his budget “is one of the lowest in the league” – will benefit immediately from an increased transfer kitty as well as additional scouting and staffing resources.
It is understood the investment is coming from the wider club, as opposed to a new, external investor or buyer. Everton are seventh in the Women’s Super League, having finished 11th, second from bottom, last season.
They have appointed their first sporting and commercial director in Sarvar Ismailov, previously the club’s global partnerships consultant, in addition to their first managing director.
This allows the women’s side to have clearer representation in board meetings, with Ismailov now able to directly petition the board for increased resources. Previously, the general manager of the women’s side had to consult the head of football on the club’s leadership team, who would subsequently carry their concerns to the board.
The structure now mirrors that of Carlo Ancelotti’s men’s team.
Historically, Everton played a significant role in the development of the women’s game – they were once home to current England players Nikita Parris, Toni Duggan, Lucy Bronze, Jill Scott and Alex Greenwood, as well as Fara Williams, the country’s mostcapped player of either gender.
However, the club then fell behind the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal, who began to invest significantly in their women’s sides.
Professor Denise Barrett-Baxendale, the Everton chief executive, said: “Our ‘One Club’ vision is a clear symbol of togetherness and unity. We have already taken the progressive and significant steps of bringing our men’s and women’s teams closer together in identity and location, with them both using the state-of-the-art facilities at USM Finch Farm. We will now build on the foundations for success – with a clear focus on competing for honours with the elite of women’s football.”
Last month, Everton Women moved into a new purpose-built stadium at Walton Hall Park, less than a mile from Goodison Park.