Sheffield United knew Maddy Cusack had ‘difficulties’ with coach, inquest hears
Chesterfield Coroner’s Court was told a manager at the club thought Jonathan Morgan did not have the “greatest reputation” when he was appointed as the coach months before Maddy died.
Sheffield United bosses knew midfielder Maddy Cusack had issues with her former coach before they hired him to manage the women’s team, an inquest has heard.
Chesterfield Coroner’s Court was told a manager at the club thought Jonathan Morgan did not have the “greatest reputation” when he was appointed as the coach months before Miss Cusack died.
Assistant coroner Sophie Cartwright KC heard that Miss Cusack, 27, was found unresponsive at her home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on September 20 2023, after Mr Morgan made comments about her weight and relationship.
The player’s family sent a written complaint to United within a week of her death, outlining issues they alleged stemmed from her time working under Mr Morgan.
The club’s head of football administration, Carl Shieber, told the inquest on Wednesday that Mr Morgan was “transparent” about his relationship with Miss Cusack, whom he worked with years earlier at Leicester City, during an informal chat before he was recruited by United in February 2023.
The inquest heard that Mr Morgan acknowledged that he and Miss Cusack had difficulties at Leicester, which he said he had resolved and “was capable of working in a professional manner with her”.
Maria Mulla, representing Miss Cusack’s family, asked Mr Shieber: “It’s correct, isn’t it, that in your statement you said Mr Morgan told you there have been some difficulties between him and Maddy at Leicester?”
Mr Shieber told the inquest: “In his interview, Maddy was mentioned along with a couple of other players. He spoke fondly about Maddy and light-heartedly about (how) there had been some moments or issues.
“I felt Mr Morgan was being very transparent in his relationship with her.”
He added: “It’s not uncommon for players and managers to have a difference of opinion regarding selection.
“Mr Morgan said … their paths had crossed and were on a good working relationship. They even laughed and joked about the time they had at Leicester.”
Asked if he told Miss Cusack the club was considering hiring Mr Morgan, Mr Shieber said: “In any industry, you would not be approaching the junior staff employees regarding the appointment of a manager.”
The inquest has previously heard that Mr Morgan called Miss Cusack “bottom heavy”, which he said was referencing her muscular legs, and said “here come the girlfriends” when Miss Cusack was walking with her partner and United teammate Grace Riglar.
He denied calling Miss Cusack a “psycho” from the sidelines during a match before he joined United.
Mr Morgan was included in a shortlist of recommended candidates to take over as United’s women’s team coach, Mr Shieber said.
The inquest heard that the club’s former women’s team general manager Zoe Johnson said in an email that Mr Morgan “doesn’t have the greatest reputation in the game but he has a good CV”.
When Mr Shieber asked Ms Johnson to clarify what she meant, she said he had been “a bit of a dick”, the inquest heard.
Mr Shieber told the inquest: “I spoke to Zoe Johnson about this. I don’t remember exactly what she said. She said he had been a bit of a dick.”
Mr Shieber said the description was related to a “single incident”.
The inquest continues.
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