Renee Slegers: Arsenal appoint Dutchwoman as permanent coach after highly successful ‘trial period’ | Football news

94 days have passed since Jonas Eidevall left Arsenal. The Gunners have played 11 games since that gloomy day in October, winning 10 and drawing one. The progress is marked, both in results and performance, and the credit goes to Renee Slegers.

A number of coaches from around the world were considered for the permanent position at Arsenal, but none had such a convincing record on the hot seat. Slegers was a candidate lucky enough to already be in — an obvious advantage — but her graduation from interim chief was no less well-deserved.

The Dutchwoman has been labeled a shoo-in by some, including this journalist, but such praise is deserved for the ‘Arsenal way’ of results and an impressive display of strength to pull herself out of adversity.

Simply, she was the mainstay of the club.

The process of replacing Eidevall is believed to have been rigorous and thorough, with as much focus on playing style and philosophy as on a vision for immediate and long-term success.

Arsenal came consistently close during the Swede’s three years in charge – winning two Conti Cups – but one-sidedly it felt like the team had lost their way by the end. Although there were good margins, performances fell, results were poor, and the club’s relationship with its rich fan base began to weaken.

Reality set in. Arsenal had a good side somewhere, but it was hidden under a cloud of burden and pressure. Eidevall said Sky Sports himself there his presence he was only dragging the players further into the mire and his rather abrupt exit was intended to stop that slide.

In contrast, if Eidevall was a cloud, Slegers’ leadership was like a breath of fresh air. Her style – confident and direct – resonated in the dressing room, which once again began to thrive and play with expression and freedom.

If the term ‘temporary’ was a hindrance, it didn’t show. Slegers never saw herself as just the holder of the fortress.

Arsenal head into the winter break with four straight wins in the WSL, their best run of 2024 and their best winning finish to a calendar year since 2019, after starting the season with one win in their first four games.

And they weren’t inherently bad by Eidevallo’s end, they just worked and lacked creation. The direction was wrong.

Enter Slegers, a manager who drew on her existing trust and credit within the camp to build a structure that better suited Arsenal’s approach. Her three-month unbeaten streak in all competitions is a testament to the small changes that made the plan clearer.

Most importantly, players have spoken publicly about the calming effect of Slegers’ even-temper. Her style is synonymous with many Dutch coaches currently working in the women’s game – England’s Sarina Wiegman comes to mind – as someone who commands respect through consistency and open communication.

“You can see the team growing,” Slegers said Sky Sports in December. “The players want to play the type of football, the Arsenal way. That is integrated into the club and that is what we aim for, as many minutes on the pitch as possible.”

Eidevall was always emotional. Outbursts from the side were common and often exaggerated. Now, a stable voice in the dugout encourages better control. Players want to play for Slegers. They want a win for Slegers.

Striker Alessia Russo’s recent purple tag is perfect proof. Having found the net once in her nine appearances under Eidevall this term, she has scored 10 in 11 under Slegers. Her overarching playing feels more instinctive, as if a burden has been lifted, replaced by conviction.

Performance is a fickle thing and the 35-year-old’s reign will hit a stumbling block at some point, but the magic seems to have returned. The synergy with the fans is back. And the Emirates atmosphere does its thing again on match day, bringing with it an energy rarely found elsewhere in the WSL.

Slegers have enjoyed an outstanding start, the new manager is in full swing and has proven that her formula is one that can bring short-term success. She has convinced the Arsenal hierarchy that she is the right person to take the club forward, and the players seem to be convinced of that too.

Now the hard work really begins. Arsenal have undoubtedly fallen behind rivals Chelsea and Manchester City in the WSL standings, and addressing that should be the first port of call for the newly appointed manager.

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