Shelley Kerr

Michelle Kerr MBE (born 15 October 1969) is a Scottish football manager and former player who is currently the English Football Association's technical lead for women's national teams.[3] As a player Kerr was a powerful centre back, who captained Scotland as well as clubs including Kilmarnock and Hibernian. During her playing career, Kerr won every domestic honour in Scotland and played in the UEFA Women's Cup. She won 59 caps for Scotland between 1989 and 2008, scoring three goals.

Shelley Kerr
MBE
Kerr in 2014
Personal information
Full name Michelle Kerr
Date of birth (1969-10-15) 15 October 1969[1]
Place of birth Broxburn, Scotland
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 FA women's national teams technical lead
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Edinburgh Dynamo
Inveralmond Thistle
Heart of Midlothian
2001–2002 Giuliano's
2002–2005 Kilmarnock
2005–2007 Doncaster Rovers Belles
2007–2008 Hibernian
2008–2010 Spartans
International career‡
1989–2008 Scotland[2] 59 (3)
Managerial career
2004 Kilmarnock
2007–2008 Hibernian
2008–2010 Spartans
2009–2013 Scotland U19
2013–2014 Arsenal
2014–2017 Stirling University F.C.
2017–2020 Scotland
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10:40, 17 December 2017 (UTC)

As a manager, Kerr gained experience at Kilmarnock, Hibernian and Spartans while progressing through the Scottish Football Association's (SFA) Long-term Player Development pathway, eventually taking charge of the Scotland women's under-19 national team in 2009. She gained the UEFA Pro Licence in January 2013, shortly before leaving the SFA for Arsenal. She led Arsenal to an FA Women's Cup and Continental Cup double in 2013, and a second FA Cup in 2014.[4] After a stint with the Stirling University men's team, Kerr managed the Scotland women's team. She guided Scotland to their first appearance in a Women's World Cup finals, but left after they failed to qualify for the following European Championship.

Playing career

Club career

Kerr participated in football at school[5] and Edinburgh Dynamo were her first football club. In 2001–02 Kerr was playing for Edinburgh–based Giuliano's.[6] In summer 2002 she moved to league champions Kilmarnock, ahead of the inaugural Scottish Women's Premier League season.[7] In September 2002 Kerr made her UEFA Women's Cup debut in a 0–0 draw with CSK.[8]

In January 2005 Kerr and compatriot Nicky Grant signed for struggling English FA Women's Premier League club Doncaster Rovers Belles,[9] both making their debuts in a 3–1 home defeat by Charlton Athletic.[10] Kerr and Grant scored in the Belles' 2–0 win over Bristol City to help the club avoid relegation.[11]

International career

Kerr made her senior Scotland debut against the "Auld Enemy" England, a 3–0 friendly defeat at Starks Park, Kirkcaldy in April 1989.[12]

Kerr stopped playing football for around nine years, during which she gave birth to her daughter. Returning to the game in her early thirties, she trained hard to win back her place in the Scotland team.[13] In May 2001, Kerr was named in coach Vera Pauw's Scotland squad for a friendly with the Netherlands at Almondvale Stadium. She was listed as a Heart of Midlothian LFC player.[14]

Following her comeback, Kerr later intended to quit national team duty after a tour of Cyprus in 2007, but was persuaded by coach Anna Signeul to return for the UEFA Women's Euro 2009 qualifying campaign.[15] Prior to the home fixture against Ukraine at McDiarmid Park in May 2008, presentations were made to Kerr, Megan Sneddon and Suzanne Grant who had all reached the milestone of 50 appearances for their country.[16]

Kerr retired from international football, at 39 years old, after the away leg of Scotland's eventual away goals defeat by Russia in Nalchik on 30 October 2008, in the qualifying play-off. It was reported that this had been her 58th and final cap.[17] In an interview with She Kicks in May 2010, Kerr attested to a total of 59 appearances.[18] As of 2019, she held Scottish national records for the oldest player (39 years, 15 days)[19] and the longest span of appearances (19 years, 183 days between first and last caps).[19]

Coaching career

Kerr took her first coaching course at the Inverclyde NTSC in 1989.[20] When Jim Chapman resigned as manager of Kilmarnock Ladies in 2004, Kerr took the team's training sessions in the opening months of the 2004–05 season.[21] She did not want the job on a permanent basis and was keen for someone else to take over.[22] After Kerr's playing career took her to Doncaster Rovers Belles, then back to Scotland with Hibernian, she took over as Hibs' player–coach under manager Maggie Wilson in 2007–08. That season she captained the club to a Scottish Women's Cup and Scottish Women's Premier League Cup double.

In June 2008 Kerr left Hibernian for a player–manager role at their Edinburgh rivals Spartans.[23] Having previously worked as a Regional Development Officer for the Scottish Football Association (SFA), Kerr was appointed Technical and Development Programme Manager for Girls and Women's Football in 2009. The women's under–19 national team came under Kerr's remit and she steered them to the 2010 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship finals.[24] Increasing commitments with the SFA meant that Kerr resigned as Spartans manager in April 2010.[25]

Kerr was awarded the UEFA Pro Licence in January 2013.[20] On 1 February 2013 she was "extremely excited" to be announced as Laura Harvey's successor as manager of Arsenal Ladies.[26] The club under her management won the FA Women's Cup and Continental Cup and finished third in the league during the 2013 season. After a poor run of form which saw the club gain only one point from the opening four league matches of the 2014 season, exit the Champions League to Birmingham and suffer a shock loss to Reading in the League Cup, Kerr decided to resign.[27][28] Kerr's final game in charge of Arsenal was the 2014 FA Women's Cup final which her team won 2–0 against Everton.[29]

On 19 August 2014 Kerr was appointed as manager of the Lowland Football League team Stirling University.[30] Kerr's appointment was the first time at that level in the United Kingdom a woman has been named as manager of a men's club. She led the team to consistent top five league finishes and the British Universities Championship final in 2014–15,[31] but lost 1–0 to Hartpury University.[32] Kerr also established an under 20 programme as a pathway to the full team for players in her time in charge.[33]

On 3 April 2017, Kerr was appointed the head coach of the Scotland women's national team.[34] Under her management, Scotland qualified for the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.[35] Kerr left the position by mutual consent in December 2020, after the team failed to qualify for UEFA Women's Euro 2021.[36]

Style of play

Anna Signeul, Kerr's manager at international level, described her as a "really British central defender" in respect of "toughness on the pitch, and for her ability to communicate verbally and direct the other players."[15] In 2002, journalist Moira Gordon praised Kerr as "uncompromising and tenacious" and "a tough player both mentally and physically, she is good in the air and also with the ball at her feet, and times her tackles well."[13]

Career statistics

International goals
Results list Scotland's goal tally first.[37][38][39]
#DateVenueOpponentResultCompetitionScored
125 November 2001Puyenbeke Stadion, Belsele Belgium2–32003 FIFA Women's World Cup qual.1
231 July 2005McDiarmid Park, Perth Northern Ireland2–1Friendly1
327 October 2007NTC Senec, Senec Slovakia3–02009 UEFA Women's Championship qual.1

Managerial record
TeamFromToRecord
GWDLWin %Ref.
Scotland1 June 2017[40]21 13 2 6 061.90 [41]

Honours

Player
Hibernian

Manager
Arsenal[4]
Stirling University
Scotland Women

References
  1. "Shelley Kerr: Ex-Arsenal Ladies boss on motherhood and football". BBC Sport. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  2. "Michelle Kerr". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  3. Taylor, Wendy (7 May 2021). "Shelley Kerr joins England Women's technical team". englandfootball.com. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
  4. "S. Kerr". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  5. Britton, Emma (20 April 2002). "Women's football gets on side with 'Becks appeal' NEW MOVIE PUTS GIRLS IN SPOTLIGHT". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  6. Thomson, Lynsey (27 May 2002). "Future bright as Giuliano's beat Dundee". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  7. "Scottish women's league kicks off". British Broadcasting Corporation. 9 August 2002. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  8. "Michelle Kerr". UEFA.com. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  9. Clark, Ginny (26 January 2005). "WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Shel's happy to be a Belle". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  10. Cocozza, Paula (24 January 2005). "Women's football". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  11. Cocozza, Paula (7 February 2005). "Women's football". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  12. "Scotland Women A Squad". The Pink 2. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  13. Gordon, Moira (5 May 2002). "Kerr's fresh enthusiasm opens up European adventure". Scotland on Sunday. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  14. Mitchell, Andrew (4 May 2001). "Rosters for Scotland v Netherlands (Holland) Thursday, 10th May, 2001". Women's Soccer World. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  15. Moore, Richard (24 October 2008). "Kerr answers SOS for clash with Russia". The Scotsman. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  16. "Scotland Women 0-1 Ukraine Women". British Broadcasting Corporation. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  17. "The Long Goodbye" (24 ed.). The Winning Zone. December 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  18. "Interview: Shelley Kerr (Scotland U-19 Head Coach)". She Kicks. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  19. Oldest and Youngest Players and Goal-scorers in International Football, RSSSF, 20 September 2018
  20. "Anna Signeul and Shelley Kerr sit UEFA Pro Licence". Scottish FA. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  21. Clark, Ginny (1 December 2004). "Football: Seven-up Dons cool; WOMEN'S FOOTBALL". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  22. Clark, Ginny (3 November 2004). "WOMEN'S FOOTBALL: Shel makes boss plea". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  23. "Shelley Kerr takes up appointment as Spartans Player Coach". Spartans WFC. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  24. "Scotland". UEFA.com. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  25. "Shelley moves on". Spartans F.C. 25 April 2010. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  26. "Shelley Kerr appointed Arsenal manager". Scottish Football Association. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  27. "Ladies manager Shelley Kerr to step down". Arsenal F.C. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  28. "Arsenal: Shelley Kerr to leave as manager after FA Cup final". 25 May 2014 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  29. "Women's FA Cup final: Arsenal beat Everton to retain trophy". 1 June 2014 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  30. "Football - Kerr handed Stirling role".
  31. "confirmed as Anna Signeul's replacement after Euro 2017". BBC. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  32. "BUCS Football 2014-2015 - Men's Championship". BUCS. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  33. "Stirling farewell for Kerr as coach takes Scotland hot seat". University of Stirling. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  34. "Scotland: Shelley Kerr confirmed as Anna Signeul's replacement after Euro 2017". BBC Sport. 3 April 2017.
  35. "Albania 1-2 Scotland: Scottish women's football on the rise - Shelley Kerr". BBC Sport. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  36. "Scotland: Shelley Kerr steps down as head coach of national side". BBC Sport. BBC. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  37. "Belgium - Scotland 3:2 (2:0)". FIFA.com. 25 November 2001. Archived from the original on 2 September 2012. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  38. "Ferguson is full of the joys after Scots see off Irish". The Scotsman. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  39. "JULIE FLEETING'S 100th INTERNATIONAL GOAL IN WIN AGAINST SLOVAKIA". Scottish Football Association. 27 October 2007. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
  40. "Shelley Kerr appointed SWNT head coach". Scottish Football Association. 3 April 2017. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  41. "Scotland - Results and fixtures". Soccerway. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  42. "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B19.
  43. McLaughlin, Chris (7 June 2019). "Shelley Kerr: Scotland women head coach 'privileged and proud' to get MBE". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 June 2019.
  44. "Alan Shearer and Shelley Kerr awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Stirling". The Scotsman. 15 November 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  45. "Hibernian Ladies 3 - 1 Celtic Ladies: Women's team show male counterparts how it's done".
  46. "BUCS Football 2016-2017 - Men's Queen's Park Shield". Retrieved 27 March 2019.
  47. Kerr "2020 Pinatar Cup". BBC. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
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