Willie Kirk Appointed Head Coach of Djurgården Women
Djurgården have announced the appointment of Willie Kirk as their new head coach, following the departure of Marcelo fernandez earlier on Thursday. The 47-year-old Scottish manager has signed a two-year contract with the Stockholm club.
Kirk’s most recent role was with Linköping, where he was unable to prevent their relegation from the women’s league this fall. He expressed his enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating on Djurgården’s website: “It feels very exciting to be able to come to Djurgården. A large association with a long history in women’s football, where the most recent titles were won in the early 2000s. But lately the team has started mobilizing for new successes and it is an captivating journey that has begun. The team had a great performance last season and I look forward to being part of it and helping to raise us further.”
Kirk outlined his ambitions for the club, adding, “I go in with the ambition that Djurgården will be a top 3 team that plays in Europe on a regular basis. We can draw inspiration from the men’s success in Europe, where everyone knows how exciting and fun those types of matches are. So we enter with the ambition that our ladies will also fight for medals and be seen out in europe. It won’t be easy but we will work hard to get there.”
Kirk was previously dismissed from his position as manager of Leicester City in March 2024 following the revelation of a relationship with a player on the team. His coaching career also includes roles at Bristol City, Manchester united (as an assistant), and everton, where he was responsible for recruiting players such as Hanna Bennison, Nathalie Björn, and Anna Anvegård.
Djurgården’s sporting director, Jean Balawo, commented on the appointment: “It is gratifying that Willie Kirk is joining us. A coach who has enormous experience and competence and who has tried various roles on the big stage. Everything from head coach at top level, Director of Football and also been active in coaching training for national teams. So with this recruitment, we are taking a step forward to continuously be involved and compete for the top 3 positions.”
Djurgården finished fourth in the 2023 women’s league, seven points behind third-placed Malmö FF.
