5 issues to learn about new Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers

Arsenal have appointed interim boss Renee Slegers as their new everlasting head coach till 2026, bringing the three-month search to an finish.
Former supervisor Jonas Eidevall stepped down in October and has since taken cost of San Diego Wave within the NWSL. Slegers has been appearing as interim because the departure and their surge in kind underneath the Dutchwoman locations the Gunners third within the WSL desk, seven factors behind leaders Chelsea.
Arsenal have gained 10 of their 11 video games underneath Slegers to date, drawing solely as soon as to Manchester United in that point. The spectacular turnaround additionally meant they certified prime of their Champions League group forward of Bayern Munich, having edged previous the German giants 3-2 earlier than Christmas.
Right here, 90min have taken a have a look at 5 issues it’s essential to learn about Arsenal’s head coach because the membership enters a brand new period…
The supervisor’s journey with Arsenal didn’t start in September 2023 when she joined as Eidevall’s assistant. The truth is, she was really on the membership’s books as a 17-year-old between 2006 and 2007.
She lived and studied at Oaklands School in Hertfordshire, who’re the membership’s principal additional schooling supplier. Slegers labored with each Alex Scott and Kelly Smith throughout her preliminary spell in London and has all the time spoken extraordinarily fondly of her time within the academy.
This additionally isn’t Slegers’ first time changing Eidevall within the managerial dugout. Previous to becoming a member of Arsenal, she labored in Sweden with FC Rosengard, initially as supervisor of their B crew.
In June 2021, she took cost of their first crew after Eidevall’s departure to hitch Arsenal. She led the crew to back-to-back Damallsvenskan titles in each 2021 and 2022 earlier than leaving her publish in April 2023.
Arsenal’s head coach was simply 29 years of age when she referred to as time on her enjoying profession. She earned 55 caps in whole for her nationwide crew, however her final look got here in November 2016 when she was simply 27.
In a pleasant in opposition to England, she suffered a critical damage that resulted in her lacking the 2017 European Championships, which the Netherlands each hosted and gained. After greater than a yr on the sidelines, she introduced her retirement in February 2018.
Arsenal’s unimaginable run of outcomes underneath Slegers wouldn’t have been potential with out the gamers shopping for into her strategies. The squad have spoken extraordinarily extremely of the 35-year-old since October and performances have actually backed that up on the pitch.
Again in October, Beth Mead described Slegers’ management as a ‘breath of contemporary air’ when requested whether or not the squad wish to see her take cost on a everlasting foundation. Though they have been cautious to not converse out whereas the recruitment course of was ongoing, the temper and optimism across the crew in the previous few months has been palpable.
Let’s maintain creating one thing collectively 💪 pic.twitter.com/Pn230AtOCE
— Arsenal Ladies (@ArsenalWFC) January 17, 2025
Outcomes have actually been going Arsenal and Slegers’ means since she took the reins, however the dynamic will alter barely now she is in cost on a everlasting foundation. She has emphasised they need to maintain pushing ahead with every thing they’ve been doing proper to date to make sure consistency is maintained.
Slegers mentioned in an interview with Ian Wright: “It’s going to be essential for me that nothing adjustments as a result of I believe what’s made us so robust is the collective possession. So I gained’t change, the women shouldn’t change, no-one ought to change as a result of we do issues very well in the intervening time.”
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