Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has paid an emotional tribute to Matt Beard following the sudden passing of the former Reds Women boss on Saturday evening.
Beard, who was 47, enjoyed two hugely successful spells in charge of Liverpool Women. He guided the team to back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014 and later returned to bring them back into the top flight as Championship winners in 2022.
Speaking to club media, Slot admitted he was left devastated by the news.
“My reaction was one of grief,” he said. “I met him last season and he not only did great things for this football club, for the women’s team, back-to-back league titles, came back when they were one division below, that tells you how much he loved the club as well.
If you hear a thing like this, I think 47 if I’m correct, that’s my age as well at the moment then you are devastated to hear.”
Slot highlighted that Beard’s legacy went beyond trophies.
“That the person you are is always more important than what you’ve won. But in his situation, both things were combined – so successful as a manager and a great human being,” he added.
Liverpool will pay their respects to Beard at Anfield on Tuesday evening, with tributes planned before the Carabao Cup third-round tie against Southampton.
“This football club is not only the men’s team, it’s also the women’s team and he had an enormous impact on women’s football here with Liverpool,” Slot said.
“As I’ve experienced being here now for one-and-a-half years, if people are going through a difficult period, the Liverpool fans and we as a team always want to be there for the people that go through such a difficult time. That’s now the situation for his wife and his three children.”
