Chris Kirkland becomes second high-profile coach to leave Liverpool Women

Chris Kirkland has resigned from his role as assistant manager and goalkeeping coach at Liverpool Women.

Telegraph Sport understands the former Wigan and Liverpool goalkeeper, 37, has gradually stepped back from his role with the first team due to the growing demands of running his own goalkeeping academy and the launch of his mental health app.

Kirkland was not at Manchester City for the club’s 3-0 defeat in the FA Cup but his exit is an amicable, with Kirkland featuring heavily in the motivational video manager Vicky Jepson had compiled before the side’s visit to CIty. Kirkland may still work with Liverpool's academy sides.

A Liverpool source said: “Chris remains one of our best pals as both a team and a squad.”

Liverpool, of course, need a full-time goalkeeping coach and a new management structure will be announced next week. Emma Humphries, one of the club’s first-team coaches, has effectively stepped into Kirkland’s role in the past few weeks.

Kirkland becomes the second high-profile coach to leave Liverpool after former Leeds United boss Neil Redfearn resigned from his role as first-team coach just two games into the season.

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Jepson told the Liverpool FC website: "Chris has been a big part of what we have been about and I want to thank him so much for the help and support he has given me, especially at the beginning of the season when we lost our manager.

"Chris has got a lot on at the moment with his own academy and other commitments and he just hasn’t got the time to give our first-team goalkeepers the quality of time that they need. He is still one of our very close friends and he will be missed, but he is still a big part of our family and we wish him all the best with the new adventures he has got lined up."