WSL side Everton sack manager Jean-Luc Vasseur after 10 games in charge

Jean-Luc Vasseur won the 2019-20 treble with former club Lyon

Women's Super League side Everton have sacked manager Jean-Luc Vasseur after 10 games in charge.

The 53-year-old former treble-winning Lyon boss replaced Willie Kirk at the club on 29 October.

Everton, who are 10th in the WSL table, announced his departure just after midnight on Wednesday morning.

Several members of the playing squad were unhappy during Vasseur's time at the club and Everton were disappointed by recent results.

Players were frustrated by a lack of communication around training schedules and disorganised planning of sessions.

They were also unhappy with the intensity of training, with several players complaining of a drop-off in fitness levels.

It is understood players raised concerns with general manager Aaron Little over the training methods while some staff members had been looking into the possibility of jobs elsewhere.

There are several players out of contract in the summer - including Poppy Pattinson, Simone Magill, Claire Emslie, Courtney Brosnan, Nicoline Sorensen and Rikke Sevecke - who are undecided about their future at the club.

Vasseur's final match in charge was Sunday's 4-0 win over third-tier side Huddersfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Toffees have placed Chris Roberts and Claire Ditchburn in charge on an interim basis.

Vasseur 'needed more time'

Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor said the decision to sack Vasseur was "a shame", although he added that he did not know "the ins and outs of what happened".

He said: "Ten games is not enough. You can't see true evidence of what that person can do or bring because it takes time.

"Unfortunately I never got to meet Jean-Luc Vasseur, which gives you an idea of how short his tenure was.

"It is disappointing because we understand the role we have as a manager and that you have to win games, but I think there needs to be more bigger-picture thinking."

Everton finished fifth last season, winning nine of their 22 games, but they have managed only three wins in 11 matches so far this term.

They had been aiming to close the gap on the top three and secure qualification for the Champions League - a competition Vasseur won with Lyon.

Vasseur's assistant coaches Frederic Piquionne and Franck Plaine have also left the club.

Former boss Kirk is still without a job since his departure, with the Toffees eighth in the table at that time.

Sarvar Ismailov, the former director who appointed Vasseur, stood down on 2 November for "personal and health reasons".