Why play WSL games after Beard death? – Skinner

West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner has questioned the decision to allow Women’s Super League games to go ahead last weekend following the death of Matt Beard.

Former Liverpool and Hammers boss Beard died at the age of 47 on Saturday.

Liverpool’s game against Aston Villa was postponed on Sunday, but three other WSL games were played, including the Hammers’ match at Brighton.

“For me, I don’t know why any of the games were on at the weekend because the amount of people, players, coaching staff across the game that have obviously known Matt,” said Skinner.

“I think the expectation on what people had to do that weekend was not assessed properly at all.”

“We’re two years down the line from another massive tragedy, a player that we lost in Maddie Cusack, and I think the contingency plans around these things need to be looked into in much more detail,” added Skinner, whose side host defending champions Chelsea on Sunday.

“When you see some of the players and some of the staff that have had to go through the weekend that they’ve had to go through, we shouldn’t be putting people in that position.”

Sheffield United midfielder Cusack died at the age of 27 in September 2023.

The inquest into her death has been delayed until January.

Skinner said: “If we’re going to talk about wellbeing of players and coaches you can’t pay lip service to it. It has to happen in a much, much better space, and to be proactive with that, not reactive.