Amber Whiteley still in frame for Liverpool manager's job
Ireland's assistant coach Amber Whiteley expects to discover soon if she's landed the Liverpool job on a permanent basis.
Shortly after Carla Ward added her to the Ireland backroom staff in February, Whiteley was promoted from a similar position at her club when boss Matt Beard was sacked.
She swiftly declared her interest in upgrading the temporary terms to permanent, completing the season in seventh and reaching the FA Cup semi-finals.
American owners Fenway Sports Group have been coordinating the search for a full-time chief ahead of the season kicking off in September.
Whiteley, speaking from Colorado ahead of Ireland's first friendly against USA on Thursday, confirmed the dream of landing her first senior job remains intact.
'The process is still ongoing so no real update there,' said the 35-year-old.
'It's getting to the latter stages now so hopefully there's news soon.
'Look, I've loved my time at Liverpool. I've been at the club a long time and absolutely love the people there. Yeah, it's a real pleasure to work with that group of players and staff.
'We'll see what happens. Either way, I love the club and what I do there. I've picked up some great experiences to make me a much better coach than when I first walked in the door.'
Personal progression for Whiteley is certain to curtail her involvement with Ireland. Doubling-jobbing while managing one of the biggest clubs in the world is a non-runners.
'It's no different really at the moment to when I first took the position with Carla - it's still going camp by camp,' she explained before expressing her satisfaction at upskilling working alongside Ward and Alan Mahon.
'I'm really enjoying my time here, feeling privileged and honoured to be in this position. For as long as I can continue to do both, I certainly hope to do that.'
This double-header, which concludes in Cincinnati on Sunday, comes between Ireland's six-game Uefa Nations League B campaign and the playoff in October against Belgium to be promoted to the top tier.
Of primary importance are the qualifiers for the 2027 World Cup kicking off next February. How to square up to the team topping Fifa's rankings will form a benchmark.
'I think it's a really exciting time and we've got a really talented group here,' added Whiteley.
'I've absolutely loved my time here. The girls have been really receptive. They're really open to learning, they want to get better. They put absolutely everything in. '
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