Arne Slot honours ‘great human being’ Matt Beard and confirms Liverpool tribute
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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has promised the club will show their respect and appreciation to “great human being” Matt Beard following the death of their former women’s team boss at the weekend.
The men’s team will honour the 47-year-old, who had two successful spells at the club, on Tuesday ahead of the Carabao Cup third-round tie at home to Southampton.
Sunday’s Women’s Super League game against Aston Villa was postponed, as was another former club Burnley’s National League fixture against West Brom, and all women’s top-flight matches held a minute’s silence.
“It’s very important for us to pay tribute, for what he meant for this football club,” Slot told liverpoolfc.com.
“This football club is not only the men’s team, it’s also the women’s team and he had an enormous impact on women’s football here with Liverpool.
“But apart from that, it’s also his family that’s going through such a hard time at the moment.
“As I’ve experienced, being here now for one and a half years, if people are going through a difficult period, the Liverpool fans and we as a team always want to be there.
“He did great things for this football club, for the women’s team, back-to-back league titles, came back to (the) new women’s team when they were playing one division below, so that tells you probably how much he loved the club as well.
Matt Beard died on Saturday (Joe Giddens/PA) (PA Wire)
“I think the Melwood staff and everyone that worked with him liked him so much – and that’s probably even a more important legacy to leave behind than the trophies you win.
“The person you are is always more important than what you’ve won.
But in his situation, both things were combined: so successful as a manager and a great human being.
“It’s not only that he gets all the respect he deserves here at Liverpool but I think all around women’s football.”