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Two Managerial Changes Come to Fawsl During League’s International Break

@Westhamwomen

The FAWSL may be on hold for a couple of weeks while players are away on international duty, but that doesn’t mean clubs have been shy about trying to improve before the second half of the season begins. Two have made major managerial decisions that are sure to have an impact on how the rest of the year unfolds.

West Ham United announced early on November 19th that head coach Matt Beard would be leaving the club, a decision that has been publicly disclosed as mutual.

Later that day, Tottenham Hotspur announced that co-managers Karen Hills and Juan Amoros have been released of their duties with immediate effect.

Beard has had an abundance of FAWSL experience, to say the least. He was Chelsea’s very first manager when they became a part of the FAWSL back in 2011, having been their manager for a year prior when the club was a part of the FA Premier League National Division. Once the team joined the FAWSL, Beard was a great success both in the league and in the cup competitions. He led Chelsea to its first-ever FA Cup Final in 2012, but after losing the final to Birmingham, he resigned.

A month later, he joined his next FAWSL team — Liverpool. Beard was at the helm of the club when massive changes were made to the team both on the pitch (big, high-profile signings were made after the club finished bottom of the table), and off the pitch (Liverpool became the first English club to offer all their players full-time, professional contracts). These changes lead to Liverpool’s first FAWSL title in 2013, and a second in 2014.

Beard left Liverpool in 2015, and after a short stint with the now-defunct NWSL team the Boston Breakers and a break from managing, Beard returned to the FAWSL to manage West Ham in 2018. Beard managed another FA Cup final appearance with his new club back in 2019. In his two full seasons at the club, Beard managed to finish in 7th and 8th place respectively.

However this season, West Ham are in 9th place and are four points behind 8th place Brighton & Hove Albion.

Beard is a fantastic coach — there is no doubt about it. But it has not seemed to be clicking for him at West Ham as of late. The team is massively underperforming and has not been consistent in their performances since at least the beginning of 2020.

West Ham have not announced a replacement yet, and it’ll be interesting to see who they bring in. Beard is one of the biggest names in women’s football, and the club will be hoping to bring in someone with a similar pedigree who can re-energize the squad. As of right now, goalkeeping coach Billy Steward and first-team coach Paul McHugh will act as interim coaches until a permanent replacement is announced.

Karen Hills has been at Tottenham Hotspur for over a decade, taking over as head coach in 2009. Juan Amoros joined the club in 2011 as co-head coach. The two were pivotal in bringing the club up from the amateur leagues to the FAWSL, having won the Championship play-offs in the 2016/17 season, and securing a promotion spot to the FAWSL in 2019. They also won the FA Women’s National League Cup back to back in 2016 and 2017.

Last season, during their first year in the FAWSL, Tottenham Hotspur finished in 7th place — a strong finish for a newly-promoted side. However, this season, Tottenham have yet to win a match in the league as they currently sit in 11th place with three points. Hills and Amoros’ sacking makes a lot of sense — the Spurs have a real chance of being relegated this season, and something must change if they are to avoid dropping down.

Unlike West Ham, the Spurs have a replacement lined up. They announced later on Thursday that Rehanne Skinner will take charge at the club on a contract through the 2022/2023 season.

Skinner will leave her role as England’s assistant coach, where she worked alongside Phil Neville starting in September of this year. Prior to that, she was head coach of England’s U21 team. She also previously worked with Tottenham’s North London rivals Arsenal, where she was part of the coaching staff that won six trophies, including two FAWSL titles.

It is clear that Tottenham have been working on this appointment for a while, with it being announced mere hours after the sacking of the previous managers. It’s no question that Amoros and especially Hills have cemented themselves in Tottenham’s legacy book, but it’s also clear that a fresh change is needed at the club if they want to build on last year’s 7th place finish and avoid relegation.

Caitlin Clark Player Edition Kobe 5 Sneakers Fly Off Nike’s Shelves

An image of the Nike Kobe V Protro sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark.
The Nike Player Edition Kobe V Protros designed by Caitlin Clark sold out in minutes on Monday. (Nike)

The first Nike Player Edition sneakers designed by WNBA star Caitlin Clark sold out almost immediately on Monday morning, with fans snapping up the limited run of the Fever guard's Kobe 5 Protros within minutes of the 10 AM ET online drop.

Inspired by the Indiana Fever's colors, Clark's high-gloss Kobe shoes come in Midnight Blue with a tongue and additional accents in Bright Crimson, as well as "vibrant hits of University Gold."

Though Nike did not disclose actual stock numbers, multiple sneaker insiders estimated that Monday's release included just 13,000 pairs of Clark's edition.

Originally on sale for $190 through Nike's website, the Kobe 5 Protro PE is already topping $350 on the resale market.

Clark has been a Nike athlete since inking an NIL deal with the sportswear giant just before her junior NCAA season at the University of Iowa in October 2022, with the WNBA sophomore later signing a reported eight-year, $28 million endorsement contract just after finishing her collegiate career.

That current deal, inked just after the Indiana Fever selected Clark as the 2024 WNBA Draft's overall No. 1 pick, includes the release of a signature shoe.

While Nike still plans to add Clark to its signature shoe roster, the brand appears to be testing the market's waters using the guard's preferred on-court Kobe sneakers — to a sellout success.

How to buy the Caitlin Clark x Nike Kobe 5 Protro PE

Plans looking to pay retail prices for Clark's latest sneaker design will have to wait for Nike to restock, with online resellers like StockX, GOAT, and Flight Club currently selling the shoes at a significant markup.

Waivers, Trades Rattle WNBA Standings as Teams Hunt Midseason Boosts

Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith looks down during a 2025 WNBA game.
Former Dallas Wings forward NaLyssa Smith was abruptly traded to the Las Vegas Aces on Monday. (Cooper Neill/NBAE via Getty Images)

With the 2025 WNBA All-Star break looming later this month, teams across the league aren't waiting for the August 7th deadline to pull the trigger on trades and waivers, significantly shaking up league rosters.

On Monday, Dallas abruptly traded forward NaLyssa Smith to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for a 2027 first-round draft pick, surprising Smith and her Wings teammates — including girlfriend DiJonai Carrington.

"Sick to my stomach dawg, never seen this coming," Smith posted to X after the WNBA announced the trades, adding "if I could've chose anywhere to go it would've been Vegas, so hella excited [for] this new opportunity."

WNBA trades target future prospects

The recent WNBA trades both reflect the depth of options Dallas has in their frontcourt — most recently boosted by the Wings acquiring center Li Yueru from Seattle last month — and indicates the team's early play at a talented WNBA Draft class, with NCAA stars like USC's JuJu Watkins and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo going pro in 2027.

At the same time, Smith's trade extends Las Vegas's first-round draft drought, with the Aces — who last added a first-round selection in 2022 — currently without an early draft pick until 2028.

As the Las Vegas focuses on leveling up this season, hoping Smith helps boost their current seventh-place league standing, the Aces also added roster cuts to their Monday trade.

Las Vegas handed out waivers to guard Tiffany Mitchell and second-year forward Elizabeth Kitley, who was selected 24th overall by the Aces in the 2024 WNBA Draft despite tearing her ACL at the end of her NCAA career.

Golden State Valkyries guard Julie Vanloo looks on during a 2025 WNBA game.
Golden State waived Belgian guard Julie Vanloo as she returned from winning the 2025 EuroBasket. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Golden State waives 2025 EuroBasket champ Vanloo

Making their own controversial Monday move was 2025 expansion side Golden State, as the Valkyries cut Belgian guard Julie Vanloo shortly after the 2025 EuroBasket champion rushed to return to California, skipping her national team's title-winning celebrations.

"Literally just touched down in the bay," Vanloo wrote on an Instagram story littered with broken heart emojis. "I need some time to process all of this man and put my feels into words. I can't right now."

While Golden State faces backlash for the timing of the cut, waiving Vanloo ultimately opens up a contract for the Valkyries, with rumors swirling that either guard Kaitlyn Chen or forward Laeticia Amihere will earn the roster spot after impressing as replacement players during European absences.

All in all, with WNBA roster space remaining at a premium, teams are making big swings in an effort to shore up their ranks as they push toward the 2025 season's halfway point.

Indiana Fever Face Minnesota Lynx at 2025 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final

The Indiana Fever huddle during a 2025 WNBA game.
The Indiana Fever will play in their first-ever Commissioner's Cup final on Tuesday night. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final tips off on Tuesday night, when first-time finalist Indiana will look to upset reigning Cup champs Minnesota in a winner-take-all showdown for both bragging rights and the lion's share of the in-season tournament's prize pool.

With the total purse set at $500,000, athletes on the winning team will earn around $30,000 each — plus an additional $5,000 for the Commissioner's Cup final MVP — while losing players will take home $10,000.

While Tuesday's final won't count toward the regular-season WNBA standings, the battle will be the first meeting between the Lynx and Fever this year, adding first-clash drama to the already-high stakes.

"I think it's going to feel like a playoff game. It's going to be really fun," Lynx star Napheesa Collier told reporters, noting Minnesota's home-court advantage in the matchup. "Our fans show up for us every game, but especially in that environment ... it's going to be electrifying."

Despite the excitement, player availability could tip the scales in Tuesday's outcome, as both Collier and Fever guard Caitlin Clark contend with recent injuries.

While Collier returned from a lingering back issue without missing a beat last weekend, Clark missed Indiana's last two games due to a groin issue and is currently "questionable" to play for the Commissioner's Cup.

"I'm going to be day-to-day," Clark said on Sunday. "Doing everything I can to put myself in position to play the next game. That's always my goal."

How to watch tonight's WNBA Commissioner's Cup final

The Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever will take the court for the 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup final at 8 PM ET on Tuesday.

Live coverage of the in-season tournament's championship game will air on Prime.

WNBA Drops All-Star Game Starters, Taps Rookie Paige Bueckers

Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers celebrates a play during a 2025 WNBA game against the Indiana Fever.
Paige Bueckers is the only rookie to make the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup. (Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images)

The WNBA dropped its All-Star Game starters list on Monday, with just one rookie earning enough votes to feature on the star-studded 10-player lineup.

In addition to being the lone rookie, Dallas's No. 1 overall draft pick Paige Bueckers will be the only All-Star debutant playing in the game's first minutes, as the Wings guard joins nine previous All-Stars to tip off the July 19th matchup — giving her a presumptive edge in this year's Rookie of the Year race.

Joining Bueckers as WNBA All-Star starters will be team captains Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx) and Caitlin Clark (Indiana Fever), as well as Aliyah Boston (Indiana Fever), Allisha Gray (Atlanta Dream), Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty), Nneka Ogwumike (Seattle Storm), Satou Sabally (Phoenix Mercury), Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty), and A'ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces).

A mix of 50% fan voting, 25% player voting, and 25% media voting determined the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game starting lineup — though the three groups did not necessarily come to a consensus.

For example, players ranked Clark ninth among guards, while the media put her in third. A record-setting 1.29 million fan votes boosted the Fever star into a captain's role.

As for players who fell just short of a starting position, like Indiana guard Kelsey Mitchell and Chicago forward Angel Reese fell just short of starting at their positions, their All-Star dreams aren't over yet.

Head coaches across the league will now vote to select 12 reserve players, likely adding both fan favorites and stat-sheet stars to the July 6th final All-Star player pool, with Collier and Clark building their teams from that list on July 8th.

Though reputation, skill, and popularity all factor into All-Star nods, this year's group is also underlining the depth of the WNBA's talent base.

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