Coach told FA Maddy Cusack was a liar, inquest hears

An inquest into the death of former Sheffield United footballer Maddy Cusack revealed troubling evidence about her relationship with a club coach. The coach, Jonathan Morgan, who worked with Cusack from February 2023, described her to the Football Association (FA) as “generally a liar,” a statement that was brought to light during the proceedings at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court.

Cusack, aged 27, was found unconscious by her father at their home in Horsley, Derbyshire, on 20 September 2023 and was pronounced dead later that day. In testimony, Morgan acknowledged that Cusack had “omitted a lot of information” regarding his conduct when speaking with her family. Following her death, Cusack’s family submitted a formal complaint to Sheffield United, highlighting concerns linked to Morgan’s relationship with their daughter. Additionally, Grace Riglar, a teammate and Cusack’s partner, reported that Cusack had been “anxious” about Morgan joining the club, based on her prior experience working with him at Leicester City.

Deborah Cusack, Maddy’s mother, described Morgan as her daughter’s “nemesis,” accusing him of making disparaging remarks about her weight and personal relationships to exert control. However, Morgan testified that he had not had concerns about his relationship with Cusack when taking on the role at Sheffield United. He also noted that he had previously released Cusack from Leicester City during his time there as a coach. When questioned, Morgan asserted that he had never shouted at Cusack either at Leicester City or Sheffield United and explained that Cusack had left Leicester City in the January transfer window, which was not under his preference or, he believed, hers.

Morgan further addressed questions about Cusack’s limited playing time after his arrival at Sheffield United, explaining that she was still recuperating from a foot injury she had sustained before he took charge. Although Cusack had played a full match the week before Morgan’s appointment, he claimed her lack of selection was due to the good form of other players, with her first appearance under him occurring in his fourth game in charge. Morgan denied any intention to “cut her down to size” by restricting her playtime and emphasized her ongoing recovery as the reason.

Regarding Cusack’s personal relationships, Morgan revealed that he had asked her to disclose her relationship with Riglar to the rest of the team, citing past issues caused by undisclosed relationships among players. While Deborah Cusack said her daughter would have been “absolutely humiliated beyond belief” when Morgan referred to Riglar as “Mrs Cusack” in front of teammates, Morgan denied this, stating that he instead said “here come the girlfriends” in a lighthearted manner to which they responded with a joke. Morgan also admitted to telling Cusack during a meeting that she was “too muscular, too bottom-heavy” to meet the sprinting demands of his football style. Afterward, her training regime was adjusted, and Morgan reported improvements in her running statistics by the season’s end.

Morgan noted changes in Cusack’s demeanor in August 2023, describing her as “less bubbly, less energetic.” He arranged a meeting with her on 4 September and subsequently contacted the club doctor to express concerns about her wellbeing, suggesting she might require help. Earlier testimony from a former teammate, Nina Wilson, described Cusack’s death as “definitely preventable,” adding that Morgan’s management style had left several players feeling “ostracised and isolated.” The inquest into Maddy Cusack’s death is ongoing

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More