Jean-Luc Vasseur has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract to become the new Everton Women manager.
The 52-year-old replaces former Manchester United Women assistant manager Willie Kirk in the post.
Jean-Luc Vasseur Becomes New Everton Women Manager
✍️ | We are delighted to have appointed Jean-Luc Vasseur as our new manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal until June 2024.#EFC 🔵
— Everton Women (@EvertonWomen) October 29, 2021
Jean-Luc Vasseur Back in the Game Following Lyon Sacking
The French coach was sacked by Lyon Feminin in April 2021 after a trophyless campaign. His first season in charge of a team that has become a giant of the women’s game was different though, winning the league title, the Champions League, Trophee des Championnes and the Coupe de France.
Vasseur previously held roles in the men’s game, leading Paris Saint-Germain at youth level, Creteil, Reims, Paris FC and Chateauroux.
In his playing days, he was a midfielder with most of his appearances coming for Rennes.
The Task at Hand for New Everton Women Manager
In taking over at Everton Women, Vasseur will lead a club that saw their expectations rise over the summer. Having operated rather shrewdly in the transfer market, their start to the season was not as expected.
Heavy defeats to Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City – all teams they’d hoped to challenge for the Champions League places – were not helpful and led to Willie Kirk leaving the club.
His first game in charge of The Toffees will be a trip to Leicester City in the Continental Cup on November 3, 2021.
Three days later, Everton host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League.
The task at hand is not a daunting one for Jean-Luc Vasseur. After all, Everton have played just five games this season so far, winning two of them and the other three were against last season’s top three, so it’s going to get easier.
The Blues sit in eighth place in the table, nine points off top and six off the Champions League spots.
Champions League Ambitions
In an interview with evertontv, Jean-Luc Vasseur said: “It’s an honour to be here at Everton, which is such a famous club in England.
“I spoke with Sarvar Ismailov (sporting and commercial director) and he told me this is a big club with a big history and an amazing future.
“I’ve come here to write new history with Everton and to win titles.
“We have a lot of talent and resources so I think there is good capacity to improve.
“I have the ambition to build a team that can achieve Champions League qualification.
“We have to be patient and fight to win.”
Perfect Candidate for Everton Women Manager Role
Everton Women sporting and commercial director Sarvar Ismailov added: “He is a perfect candidate for us. He has worked in women’s and men’s football and has been successful in both. He has a great knowledge of the game and vast experience in different types of environments.
“We wanted a proven winner and he has won numerous titles. We also wanted someone with DNA which matches our club’s – someone with an attacking vision, who fights until the end.
“He is determined to improve everyone and he is ambitious. Those are the main characteristics we were looking for and Jean-Luc ticked all the boxes.”
Things are a lot clearer for Everton fans now as they look to get their season up and running following Willie Kirk’s exit.
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