Everton Women set to appoint Scott Phelan as new head coach

Scott Phelan is set to be appointed Everton Women head coach on a full-time basis.

The former Under-18s men’s coach was appointed interim manager following Brian Sorensen’s sacking in February.

The deal is not yet finalised but all signs point to Phelan replacing Sorensen on a permanent basis, sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic.

Phil Jevons, who joined Phelan’s backroom staff for the final months of the Women’s Super League season, is set to be appointed as assistant manager. The position is currently occupied by first-team senior coach Jennifer Foster, who joined Everton in February 2025 from Leicester City. Foster has worked as a first-team head coach in the WSL with Birmingham City Women and assistant manager with Bristol City Women, Leicester City Women and Everton, as well as serving as interim manager at Leicester in 2024.

As of May, Everton had drawn up a four-candidate shortlist for the position of head coach.

Phelan, who has not held a full-time head coach position but has been a highly thought of coach throughout Everton’s academy, was considered the safest option heading into the summer.

Phelan’s appointment means that, heading into the 2025-26 season, the WSL will be split evenly between men’s and women’s head coaches, with all three promoted clubs from the WSL2 — Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City and Crystal Palace — being managed by women.

Phelan took over the women’s team on an interim basis following the exit of Sorensen the morning after the January transfer window closed. Everton sat ninth in the WSL table, four points clear of the WSL relegation zone with only three wins from 14 WSL matches.

Phelan immediately oversaw three successive league victories against London City Lionesses, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, lifting Everton out of the relegation race.

However, Everton finished the season with just three points from their final five matches, with the team registering a last-gasp 1-0 win against relegated Leicester City on the final day to finish the season in eighth.

Everton entered the 2025-26 season with plenty of ambition following the team’s full-time move into Goodison Park, as well as an influx of new signings, including England youth international Ruby Mace for a club-record fee of £250,000 ($337k).

However, after their 4-1 Merseyside derby victory on opening day, Everton struggled to find consistency or rhythm.

While Phelan has helped steady the ship at Everton, the final matches have shown there is much work to be done at Everton this summer. Everton are still yet to appoint a new head of women’s football following Hannah Forshaw’s unexpected departure as CEO just five months after her appointment to the position.