Manchester City's Former Manager Gareth Taylor Insists on His Point in Chloe Kelly Controversy
Gareth Taylor Takes on Rebuilding Challenge at Liverpool Women
After a five-year tenure at Manchester City Women, Gareth Taylor has embarked on a new journey with Liverpool Women, aiming to rebuild a squad following several key departures. Taylor, known for his high-possession, pressing game, led Manchester City to two major trophies (FA Cup in 2020 and League Cup in 2022), consistently finishing in the top four but ultimately missing out on the WSL title.
Taylor's coaching style, while technically attractive, has at times been criticized as predictable and stubborn. A notable challenge during his Manchester City tenure was a strained relationship with Chloe Kelly, culminating in a transfer dispute in January 2025 that resulted in Kelly forcing a loan move to Arsenal. This conflict reportedly marked a turning point during Taylor's final months at City and foreshadowed his departure.
Despite the personal disagreements, Taylor's strength lies in his ability to develop young players. Having spent nine years working in City's academy, this talent nurturing was a key reason Liverpool sought him as their new head coach. Taylor sees Liverpool as a "blank canvas" where he can implement his football philosophy, learn from experience, and build a team identity. He stresses taking pressure onto himself and maintaining a positive environment without blaming players.
Taylor's prior success with youth development is viewed as essential to Liverpool's strategy moving forward. As he navigates the challenges of rebuilding Liverpool Women, Taylor maintains that he stood by his decisions during his tenure at Manchester City and acknowledges that he gets things right and wrong as a head coach. He prefers that such situations are not played out in public.
Kelly, who won the Champions League with Arsenal and Euro 2025 with England, made just six appearances in the Women's Super League last season before her loan to Arsenal. She left Manchester City on loan in January and made the move permanent to Arsenal this summer. Kelly cited "negative behavior" towards her as one of the reasons for her departure from Manchester City, although Taylor has not publicly discussed the matter.
As Taylor takes on the challenge at Liverpool, he remains committed to his coaching identity, focusing on developing young players and implementing a possession style. His dismissal from Manchester City during a difficult season for the team has not deterred him, and he looks forward to strong fan support at Liverpool.
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