Newcastle United Women need a new manager, and Ross Wilson is moving to make a significant appointment.
Eddie Howe should be safe as Newcastle United manager despite a shaky start to the season.
PIF are unlikely to axe Howe unless this season goes badly wrong, but Newcastle’s women will have a new manager in place soon.
Boss Becky Langley departed in October, as Newcastle made a change following a disappointing start to the season.
Claire Ditchburn is doing a fine job as interim manager, but Newcastle are now moving for a new manager.
Photo by Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Newcastle United move to appoint Northern Ireland’s Tanya Oxtoby
BBC Sport report that Newcastle are now in talks over the appointment of Northern Ireland boss Tanya Oxtoby.
Negotiations are thought to be ‘advanced’, with Oxtoby now in line to take the Toon job.
Newcastle have real ambitions of reaching the Women’s Super League after going fully professional in 2023.
After a fifth-place finish last year, Newcastle are aiming for the top two in WSL 2.
The start to the season has not been ideal, but Oxtoby could now be handed the reins.
Oxtoby has plenty of experience and has been in charge of the Northern Ireland national team since 2023.
The Australia-born coach could now return to the English game, and her arrival would be an impressive move for Newcastle.
Ross Wilson could land impressive Newcastle United appointment in Tanya Oxtoby
Oxtoby is only 43 but already boasts an impressive coaching career.
After taking charge of Nottingham Forest, Oxtoby became an assistant coach with Perth Glory, Australia U20s and Birmingham City.
Oxtoby became Bristol City boss in 2018, and she has earned huge praise for her development of young players during her time there.
England youth internationals Poppy Pattinson, Aimee Palmer and Katie Robinson all developed under Oxtoby, as did former Lionesses international Ebony Salmon.
Salmon was let go by Manchester United, but credited Oxtoby with turning her career around.
“I wasn’t really in the best place at that point,” said Salmon when speaking to The Telegraph in 2021. “I didn’t have a club. Tanya Oxtoby gave me that chance at Bristol City. And she didn’t just give me a chance – she pushed me to become better. I owe Tanya a lot because she built my confidence back up a lot when I didn’t really have any.
“She cares about her players. As well as boosting my confidence, she also made me happy, which is one of the main things. To be performing well, you need to be happy,” she added.
Oxtoby departed for maternity leave in 2021 and returned as an assistant coach with Scotland before taking a similar role at Chelsea.
That meant Oxtoby worked alongside Emma Hayes in the Chelsea winning machine, no doubt learning a lot from the now-United States coach.
Ross Wilson’s arrival as sporting director didn’t just mean taking over the men’s team, but also everything around the women’s team.
Wilson was in attendance to watch Newcastle Women beat Sunderland last week, and he now appears to have picked out Oxtoby as his top target.
Oxtoby’s background is seriously impressive, and if Newcastle can pull this deal off, the WSL dream will receive a major boost.
