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Former England international and Olympic captain, Stoney, has stepped down as head coach of San Diego Wave after nearly three years at the helm. Previously, she managed Manchester United but resigned from that position in 2021. Under her leadership, San Diego Wave, a newly established franchise, made significant strides in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), achieving a third-place finish in their inaugural season and then claiming the top position in the subsequent season.
Despite the promising starts, the team faced challenges in her third season, recording only three victories in 14 matches, which deviated from their earlier success of reaching the semi-finals in both of the first two seasons.
Stoney viewed her role as part of a long-term vision for the club. The transition to the United States was notably difficult for her personal life, particularly as she faced a lengthy separation from her partner, Megan, and their three children, twins Teddy and Tilly, along with their youngest child, Willow. After a challenging 22-month process, the family was finally reunited in California when they resolved their visa complications.
Reflecting on her experience, Stoney remarked, “I didn’t think I deserved to lose my job either, which made it even tougher. We had some successes, and the dip in performance wasn’t anything major.” She expressed deep concern for her children, who were struggling without a stable home environment during her tenure.
When her children were expected to return to school in August, Stoney stepped up to homeschool them herself, describing this time as “one of the hardest periods” she has faced. “It did make me question if I wanted to stay in the game,” she said, highlighting her frustration with the sport’s demands and its impacts on personal life.
Despite receiving multiple job offers immediately following her departure, she chose to decline them in favor of prioritizing her family and ensuring they were settled back into life in San Diego. “My priority was my family and how do we get back to San Diego,” she stated.
Source
www.bbc.com