Reading Rhian’s statement, the player in late October initiated the relationship (which they quite quickly reaized was wrong and terminated). I have no idea who the player was. What in the world was the player thinking? If it is appropriate for Rhian to be gone, what about the player? This all is so tragic in so many ways and this has made it worse.
Well she lost the team’s confidence anyways even with NWSL clearing her from the investigation as well as allowing her to still able to work in NWSL in future.
The player is Menges; she is interviewed (and consented to her name being used) in the Athletic article linked in the tweet I posted. I would recommend that folks read the Athletic article. It has some interesting details, such as that Wilkinson and Menges met 1-on-1 three times prior to Menges declaring her feelings. Another player (unnamed) speculates that Wilkinson and Menges only reported after being found out. I can see where that would be a reasonable conclusion if the player had observed the private meetings and assumed they were already dating. Menges defends herself in the article by saying that the players should be trusting the results of the investigation where they were both cleared. This is further complicated by the fact that Menges is the NWSLPA treasurer and the day before this news broke she tweeted out thanks to MP (as he sells the team) while other Thorns players were responding with thanks to the people who came forward to speak up. Wilkinson brings up in the article as well that when you have former players coming in to coach, they still have lots of friends who are playing, people they would just like to hang out with. But, a different line is drawn when your job is the coach. I would say the line the players want drawn between a player and a coach is not the line that Wilkinson and Menges understood. And, once she lost their trust, she'd lost the locker room.
I would like to say I am surprised by how many on social media are praising the coach for how this was all handled and that she did nothing wrong. She crossed the line by privately socializing with the player those 3 times and then exchanging romantic feelings with the player. It shows some ignorance by all supporting her actions that she could continue to hold a position of power as a coach after that line had been crossed. It impacts the dynamics of the team.
This whole thing was stupid and irresponsible by both the coach and the player. I do not think either should get a pass and I am shocked that the player seems to be getting a pass from posters. For gosh sakes, she is a graduate of Georgetown, one of the elite education institutions in the USA. In the context of everything that was going on, how could she have not known better.
To make things more bizarre, Emily Menges is a member of the NWSLPA's executive team. https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...kinson-portland-thorns-resigns-nwsl/51037319/
The slight bit of slack I give them is that they were teammates at one point years ago. So if they spent time at a coffee shop talking about life, not a big deal. But once feelings got shared, the coach should have gone straight to management.
While I understand where you are coming from, I do not agree on giving slack. The fact that they were teammates years ago is simply an excuse and the only way this kind of stuff is going to stop is if there is no excuse that is acceptable. It must be an absolute. Once a former player becomes a coach, everything changes, and I mean everything. There can be no other way. That means it most definitely is a big deal if they are spending time at a coffee shop talking about life. It simply cannot happen. If everyone would treat this as an absolute, this kind of thing would end. Grey it up, and it will continue.
I hear what you are saying, but let me ask you this ... if a player wants to talk to the coach about let's say post career opportunities (maybe they are thinking of retiring from the game and want the coaches perspective), is it ok for them to meet at a coffee shop?
Player should talk to the coach about career stuff at their current working facilities. No reason to meet elsewhere for professional discussions. There is very little reason for a player and a coach to have a one-on-one meeting outside of team areas. Two men, two women, a mix, doesn't matter. Only time a coach should be "hanging out" with players if it's a larger social function with multiple people to even things out; the inherent power imbalance makes any one-on-one interactions a no-go unless they're strictly professional.
I have written up what I think the rules should be, with some background. I will re-read it and then post here. My views on it are very strict on it.
Not to mention the coach would lead to favoritism and have that player starting and more playing time when other players should be on the pitch had there been no relationship.
That's the point though. They did (at least according to them) go directly to HR once feelings were shared. But, they had already met up 1-on-1 (for whatever reason...I'm not saying those were dates) previously. I get that the rest of the players are rightfully distrustful of the investigation process, but I also think there had to be enough there from observing the previous meetings between Wilkinson and Menges and/or observing interactions between the two of them that the Thorns players believe the investigation wasn't thorough enough and that more was going on before the two went to HR. What I think the players are saying is that they agree with some of us here: once a former player becomes a coach, the relationship is different because the power dynamic has changed. They can still be friends, but not in the same way. I agree with cpthomas here; make it crystal clear. It should be in the policy that there is absolutely no romanic relationship between player and a coach and no 1-on-1 meetings (even if just to "hang out") outside of a team office, hotel lobby, hotel conference room, or other normal place for those meetings.
I agree that the coach needed to go once the lines were crossed. There was no way to lead the team after this became known (potential bias, retaliation, distrust, etc). I also would not be surprised to see the player traded. Is she a key player for them?
[QUOTE=" Is she a key player for them?"[/QUOTE] Second longest serving player in club history. Second most minutes too. For about seven years she started every game although she played less this year.
And back on the carousel... Sam Laity (asst. at RGN) is now the new head coach at HOU https://theathletic.com/4022363/2022/12/20/houston-dash-head-coach-sam-laity/
Really really sad to see him go, he's going to be a huge loss for us. But he certainly deserves the opportunity and i think he will be very successful.
As much praise as he is getting from players and L Harvey, I am surprised he was not hired elsewhere sooner. Or did he not pursue head coaching positions until now? He has plenty of NWSL experience. And when you look at some past hires it is curious.
Potter has been fired at KC. Taking a finalist squad that everyone said improved over the offseason to an 0-3 start will do that I guess... Especially with the draftee controversy hanging over the organization. In fact the team statement makes it sound more like the latter, “related to issues around his leadership and employment responsibilities”.
Written about this elsewhere, but the league can continue to talk about all the good things going on while burying its head in the sand on one crucial component to long term success - leadership. The coaching turnover and the reasons behind them. The ownership groups who have been willing to brush things under the carpet to keep the show on the road. What trust should we have in those leading this league? Do we really have the environment that can take responsibility for signing 15yr olds? Or is the ability to actually deliver not relevant in the context of the story?
Do you actually pay attention to this league? WTF? They hired Sally Yates to investigate. They commissioned their own separate report. They fired coaches and commissioner. It is a new start. Just like NFL and NBA, coaches get fired for losing. By the way, are you so negative about everything in life?