Former Manchester City striker Shaun Goater has been named Aston Villa Women’s interim manager after head coach Robert de Pauw was sacked.
Dutch manager De Pauw has left the WSL club just six months into his tenure after winning only one of his nine games in charge.
The 43-year-old was appointed in June after Carla Ward stepped down at the end of the season for personal reasons.
A statement from Villa said: “Aston Villa Women can confirm that manager Robert de Pauw has left the club with immediate effect.
We would like to thank Robert for his commitment during his time in charge and wish him well for the future.”
Goater will now take charge of first-team duties after stepping up from his position as De Pauw’s assistant.
Villa are currently one point above the relegation zone, with their only victory coming in a late 3-2 win over bottom-of-the-table Crystal Palace last month.
They finished seventh in the WSL last season after a record fifth-place finish the season before but in 2024-25, they have picked up only six points from their nine games.
