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London City Lionesses have sacked their manager Jocelyn Prêcheur, with the newly-promoted club sitting sixth in the Women’s Super League table.
The Frenchman oversaw London City’s promotion to the WSL last season and has guided them to the top half of the top tier, but the big-spending club are known to be ambitious and their defeat away against Leicester a week ago was their sixth of the season. Prêcheur is the second WSL manager to lose their job in the space of four days, following Rehanne Skinner’s sacking by West Ham on Thursday.
Prêcheur had been in charge of London City since the summer of 2024. He led them to the second-tier title last term during his first season in charge, winning 13 out of 20 Championship matches to pip Birmingham to the title on the final day of the season by a two-point margin.
The former Paris Saint-Germain coach’s exit has been described by sources as a purely footballing decision. The 43-year-old is understood to have been popular around the club but the long-term ambitions of the owner Michele Kang, who also owns Washington Spirit and the eight-time European champions OL Lyonnes, are to take the team to the very top.
A club statement about Prêcheur’s exit on Sunday read: “Under his leadership, the club achieved a historic promotion and finishes the first half of the season in sixth position.
“Following careful consideration, the club believes that now is the right time to begin a new cycle and pursue a different strategic direction for the next phase of its development. London City Lionesses sincerely thanks Jocelyn Prêcheur and his coaching staff for their professionalism, commitment, and significant contribution to the club’s recent sporting success, and wishes them every success in their future careers.
“Further updates regarding the club’s coaching structure will be communicated in due course.”
Meanwhile West Ham are to appoint the former Juventus head coach Rita Guarino as their new women’s team manager, the Guardian understands.
According to sources, talks have been ongoing between the club and the former Italy striker for several weeks and she should be unveiled before Christmas. It will be the 99-times capped former international’s first managerial role in England.
It is understood a contract until 2027 is most likely for the 54-year-old, who won four consecutive Serie A titles when in charge of Juventus, between the 2017-18 and 2020-21 seasons. She also led the Turin-based side to two domestic cups, making her among the most successful and respected coaches in the history of Italian women’s football.
West Ham’s assistant manager, Steve Kirby, the former Bristol City head coach, took interim charge of the club on Sunday. They succumbed to a 5-1 League Cup quarter-final loss to Manchester City.
Guarino would be only the second female coach to manage West Ham, after Skinner, who had been at the helm for two-and-a-half years.
Her first game in charge would be a tricky trip to face the defending league champions, Chelsea, on 11 January, after the Women’s Super League’s winter break, before an FA Cup fourth round trip to face the WSL2 side Newcastle United five days later. She would not have a home fixture until welcoming Tottenham to Dagenham on 1 February.
West Ham have won one and drawn two of their 11 games in the first half of this league season to sit two points above the bottom side, Liverpool.
