Women's Super League side West Ham have appointed Rita Guarino as head coach following the sacking of Reanna Skinner.
Guarino, who is embarking on her first managerial job outside her native Italy, has signed an 18-month contract.
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She led Inter Milan from 2021 to 2024 and previously led Juventus to four consecutive Serie A titles.
The 54-year-old also served as head coach of the Italy U17 national team.
Skinner sacked by West Ham on Thursday after winning just one of their 11 Women's Super League matches this season.
“I'm so excited to be joining West Ham. This is a club with a lot of history and strong values that align with my own,” Guarino said.
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“I'm very excited about this project. There is a lot of talent and experience in the team and I want to support the girls in their development both individually and as a team.”
West Ham's appointment of Guarino, a relative unknown in England, is a bold move.
One of her first priorities will be navigating the January transfer window as the Hammers look to move up the WSL table. They currently sit in second place, two points ahead of Liverpool.
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“I want to create a team that is organized, aggressive on the ball and tries to recognize and exploit space. The team mentality of togetherness and hard work is the most important thing,” she added.
“I look forward to the next chapter in the best league in the world.”
[BBC]
Ben Haynes, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes are released every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, and interviews and additional content from the Women's Super League and beyond can be found on BBC Sounds. Weekly women's football channel
