Key Points
- West Ham United Women have confirmed the appointment of former Juventus and Inter coach Rita Guarino as their new head coach.
- The 54‑year‑old Italian has signed an 18‑month contract with the east London club.
- Guarino replaces Rehanne Skinner, who was dismissed after a poor run of results.
- As reported by She Kicks, West Ham confirmed that Steve Kirby, Skinner’s former assistant, will remain on staff and briefly took interim charge for the League Cup quarter‑final against Manchester City.
- Guarino will take charge of her first match in the Women’s Super League against Chelsea on Sunday 11 January after the end of the winter break.
- As reported by Hayters TV and Yahoo Sports, she previously led Juventus Women to four league titles, two Supercoppa trophies and one Coppa Italia in a dominant four‑year spell, and most recently coached Inter’s women.
- The former striker earned 99 caps for Italy during her playing career, as highlighted by BBC Sport.
- In her first comments to club media, Guarino said she is “so happy” and “proud” to be joining West Ham, praising the club’s “big history and strong values” and stressing her desire to build an organised, aggressive and united team.
- She told West Ham TV that there is “a lot of talent and experience” in the squad and that she wants to support the players as individuals and as a collective.
- Guarino emphasised that mentality, togetherness and hard work will be “the most important thing” in her tenure.
- BBC Sport notes that West Ham Women are currently near the bottom of the WSL table, leaving Guarino with an immediate relegation‑battle challenge and a crucial January transfer window to navigate.
- As reported by TNT Sports, the club have described the hire as bringing in a multi‑time Serie A title‑winner to transform the project in east London.
- Social media accounts and specialist outlets, including Soccerdonna and WF Pundit, amplified the announcement, underlining the move’s significance in the European women’s game.
Why have West Ham turned to Rita Guarino now?
West Ham United Women have acted following a difficult first half of the season that culminated in the dismissal of Rehanne Skinner after what Hayters described as a “disappointing run of results”. BBC Sport reports that the team sit in the lower reaches of the Women’s Super League table, only a few points above the relegation zone, and badly in need of renewed direction. As noted by Yahoo Sports’ coverage, the club opted for a coach with a proven track record at the highest level of European women’s football.
According to She Kicks, the decision to appoint Guarino was formalised days after Skinner’s departure, with the Italian signing an 18‑month agreement that runs through to the end of next season. Hayters’ report points out that this timeframe gives both sides enough room to stabilise performances, reshape the squad and embed a clear tactical identity, while also allowing the club flexibility if results do not improve. TNT Sports framed the move as a statement of intent, bringing in a coach with multiple Serie A titles in a bid to transform West Ham’s fortunes on and off the pitch.
What is Rita Guarino’s coaching and playing pedigree?
As highlighted by Hayters and Yahoo Sports, Guarino arrives in east London with one of the most impressive CVs in the women’s game. During her four‑year spell at Juventus Women, she delivered four league titles, two Supercoppa crowns and one Coppa Italia, establishing the Turin club as the dominant force in Italy. Before that, she worked with Italy’s under‑17 national team, while She Kicks notes that she later took charge of Inter Women, continuing to compete at the top end of Serie A.
BBC Sport underlines that Guarino was also an accomplished forward, earning 99 caps for Italy and representing her country at major tournaments. That international playing experience is seen by commentators as a key part of her pedigree, giving her first‑hand understanding of elite dressing rooms and high‑pressure environments. The combination of domestic dominance with Juventus, top‑flight experience at Inter and near‑centurion status with the Azzurre is being widely cited as a major step up in profile for West Ham’s women’s programme.
How did Guarino describe her move to West Ham?
In her first comments to club media, extensively quoted by several outlets, Guarino set out both her emotions and her philosophy. As reported by She Kicks, she told West Ham TV:
“I’m so happy to be joining West Ham United… It is a club with a big history and strong values that align with my own.”
Hayters reproduces the same remarks, stressing her reference to the club’s heritage and identity as central to her decision.
Yahoo Sports notes that Guarino went on to say:
“I’ve spoken with the Board and I’m really excited by the project here,”
adding that
“there’s a wealth of talent and experience within the team, and I aim to assist the players in their growth both individually and as a unit.”
She Kicks further quotes her vision for the playing style:
“I want to build a team that is organised, aggressive with the ball and that tries to recognise and use space. The mentality of the team – the togetherness and hard work – is the most important thing.”
Hayters also records her closing line:
“I’m proud to be here and I’m looking forward to the chapter ahead in the best league in the world.”
What challenge does she inherit at West Ham?
BBC Sport’s analysis stresses that Guarino’s arrival comes with significant risk and responsibility, describing the appointment as “daring” given that she has not previously coached outside Italy and is relatively unknown to English audiences. The same report says one of her first tasks will be to navigate the January transfer window as West Ham attempt to climb away from danger near the bottom of the WSL table. Forebet and other statistical platforms show West Ham lagging well behind the division’s leading sides, underscoring the size of the rebuild.
She Kicks notes that Guarino inherits a squad containing both established internationals and emerging prospects, with expectations that she will harness her Juventus and Inter experience to introduce more structure and consistency. According to TNT Sports’ write‑up, West Ham’s hierarchy believe that a coach used to winning titles can change the internal culture and help close the gap to the league’s elite over time, even if the short‑term priority remains securing safety. Yahoo Sports similarly frames her arrival as part of a broader attempt to reset the club’s women’s project after a period of stagnation and underperformance.
When will Guarino take charge of her first game and who supports her?
Several outlets emphasise that Guarino’s competitive debut could hardly be tougher. She Kicks reports that she will take charge of her first match after the winter break on Sunday 11 January, when West Ham face reigning champions Chelsea in the Women’s Super League. Yahoo Sports carries the same detail, noting that the fixture will provide an immediate benchmark of where the Hammers stand under their new coach. Betting and data sites such as Forebet list Chelsea near the top of the table, with West Ham in the bottom two, highlighting the scale of the challenge.
As reported by She Kicks, Guarino will be assisted by Steve Kirby, who worked under Skinner and took interim charge of the side for the Subway Women’s League Cup quarter‑final against Manchester City. The club has indicated that further announcements on the coaching staff will follow in due course, a line also carried by She Kicks’ report. That continuity through Kirby, combined with the fresh perspective of a new head coach, is seen by Hayters as a way to ensure stability while allowing Guarino to implement her ideas.
How has the wider women’s football community reacted?
TNT Sports, in its piece on the appointment, framed Guarino’s move to the WSL as another sign of the league’s growing drawing power for top‑level European coaches. The outlet highlighted her multiple Serie A titles and described West Ham’s decision as a “significant hire” for a club outside the traditional ‘big three’ of Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City. BBC Sport’s article similarly notes that Guarino’s name will be new to some English supporters but stresses that her track record in Italy commands respect.
On social media, accounts such as WF Pundit and Soccerdonna have circulated the club’s official graphics and key details of the deal, including the 18‑month contract length, reinforcing the sense that this is a notable cross‑border move within the women’s game. While formal opinion pieces are still emerging, the early tone across specialist outlets like She Kicks, TNT Sports and Yahoo Sports is that West Ham have secured a coach capable of reshaping their identity if given time and backing.
