Everton Women have named Brian Sorensen as their new manager. The Dane, who will pen an initial two-year contract, will take charge at the end of the current season.
Sorensen, who turns 42 in June, has experience of coaching in women’s football in his native country going back 13 years and has been in charge of current employers Fortuna Hjorring over two spells – steering them to a brace of Danish titles in 2014 and 2016, securing a domestic double in the latter – with other stints at IK Skovbakken and FC Nordsjaelland.
He said : “I’m extremely excited to join Everton. It is one of the historic clubs in women’s football and our backgrounds fit nicely, with common values, work ethic and ambitions.
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“Having studied the squad in depth during this process, I feel there is massive potential, with players capable of making an impact on the biggest stages.
“I'm very thankful to Fortuna Hjorring for our journey together and their support for this opportunity – and I now look forward to meeting with the Everton staff and players next week on Merseyside and getting to work on preparations for next season.”
Everton Women managing director, Alan McTavish, who led on the recruitment process alongside the club's director of football, Kevin Thelwell, said: “We are delighted to welcome Brian to the club. Throughout the process to appoint a new manager there has been considerable interest in the role and after a great deal of consideration, we are confident we have found the best person to lead the team into next season and beyond.
“Brian was the outstanding candidate from a very strong field, and he is a proven winner. His vision for the team, along with his ambition and drive to move Everton Women forward, impressed us throughout the interview process. We look forward to Brian joining the club in the summer and getting started on our work together ahead of the 2022/23 season.”
Caretaker manager Chris Roberts and Claire Ditchburn will continue to take interim charge of Everton Women for the remainder of this season after the sackings of Willie Kirk in October and then Jean-Luc Vasseur, who was dismissed after 10 games in February. The Blues are 10th out of the 12 clubs in the Women’s Super League having picked up 18 points from 19 games.
