With the international break coming to an end Arsenal head coach Renée Slegers was once again facing the media. There was plenty to discuss, from managerial sackings to team news. Slegers spoke with assembled media ahead of Arsenal’s home tie with West Ham United knowing that a win could put the Gunners into second place in the Barclays Women’s Super League table.
Slegers hails ‘winner’ Mariona Caldentey
Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey was announced as the winner of the Player of the Month award for February 2025 today, the diminutive midfielder was imperious for Arsenal in their two impressive wins. Since arriving at Arsenal, Caldentey has consistently impressed, The Halfway Line asked Slegers what the Spanish midfielder has given the team, she beamed:
“Yeah, she’s given us so much. I think there’s so many things to say about Mariona, because she does so many things so well, technically, tactically, her intelligence is really high level. Her work ethic is unbelievable. You can see it in games, but you can see it on a training pitch as well. She really brings this to us, all the qualities, and not the least, she’s a winner.”
Slegers continued: “She wants to win things. And I think she, she spreads that really nicely in the team. And so she, she’s given us that next level, I think, and we want to find the next level moving forward. But then again, we’re talking about individuals here. This is what Mariona is bringing. Other players are bringing a lot of good things as well.”
Slegers notes it’s ‘good to be under pressure’ amid WPLL plan to scrap relegation
On Thursday news broke of a proposed restructure of the WSL by the Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, the governing body of the WSL. The Arsenal head coach was asked for her thoughts on the proposed restructure, she replied:
“Yeah, so understood it came out yesterday. There’s meetings going on. I don’t know if they’re still ongoing. I think the club is involved. So I want to wait for that meeting to be finished and get all the details before I answer the question one part.”
The WPLL’s plans include relegations from the WSL being suspended for a number of seasons, when asked about relegation’s value to the league Slegers said:
“I always think for the competitive element of a league, that it’s good to be under pressure, but I think the people that are working with growing the women’s game in England are trying to make the right decisions here. So again, until that meeting is done and there’s more details, I can’t answer the questions.”
‘Everyone is back, everyone is healthy’ reports Slegers
Before the international break Arsenal had concerns over the fitness of key players, for example, Beth Mead and Lotte Wubben-Moy were forced to pull out of the England squad. There remained question marks over the fitness of Swedes, Lina Hurtig, Rosa Kafaji and also Dutch midfielder Victoria Pelova but Slegers was able to clear that up, she confirmed:
“Everyone’s back, everyone’s healthy, so they’re all in contention for Sunday. Obviously, we had Lotte Wubben-Moy out, she’s still not available, but the rest are in contention.”
‘Everything she does is 100%’ Slegers heaps praise on captain Kim
Just before the international break Arsenal’s Scottish lynchpin Kim Little signed another one year deal that will keep her at the club until 2026. When asked about her club captain, the Dutch head coach waxed lyrical, gushing:
“Kim is a natural role model for many people, I think, not only players, but also staff. Because what she does is she she sees all the small details, and she understands that all the little things you do as a professional athlete are going to contribute to your performance in the weekend.”
Slegers continued: “So everything she does is 100% so it’s not only the way she prepares for games. There’s not only the 1% in trainings, it’s every little detail she wants to get right. So it’s also before and after training and everything medically, from performance point of view, physical point of view, anything she wants to get right. So she’s a high performance athlete and she demands the very, very best of herself. And then naturally, I think, in the way she is as a person in a very good way, in a natural way, she demands that from others around her as well, or even she doesn’t even have to demand it. You want to do it when you’re around Kim.”
Slegers laments ‘brutal’ nature of football management
Over the past few days a number of head coaches have lost their jobs, with Laura Kaminski at Crystal Palace and Matt Beard at Liverpool being the most high profile dismissals. The news of Beard’s departure came as a shock to much of the women’s football community, Beard’s exit was put to Slegers, she responded:
“It’s always sad to see managers leave. I know how hard work it is, how much pressure there’s on you, so it’s sad to see him leave, and I wish him all the best for the future.”
When asked if she felt decisions about manager’s futures can be harsh Slegers provided a thoughtful riposte:
“I think it’s all connected to expectations, and I think it’s brutal sometimes to be in the role, because we’re human beings, and we, as much as you want to control things and give direction and lead things in the right way, you’re not going to be able to control everything. I know how intense WSL is, and the challenge that you’re facing week in week out, and how big the game is growing, and all the other things that are expected of you as a head coach. I think the job is very demanding.
She continued: “I think, from my opinion, you need to come with competencies and with quality, and you need to be backed as well and understand that you’re both aligned on what the expectations are and where you’re going as a club and as a team.”
‘They’re going to make it hard for us’ Slegers on the challenge of West Ham
Arsenal face West Ham on the weekend looking to complete a league double over the Hammers after losing away to Rehanne Skinner’s side last season. Slegers was asked to comment on the challenge of West Ham for Arsenal, Slegers stated:
“Well, I think they’re going to make it very hard for us, which they did in the away game as well. I think they have their identity as a team. They’re looking to find their identity and they’re coming closer and closer. And I think what they will do is close down spaces and try to threaten us in different ways. And I think it’s going to be hard games, and we have to be on top of it.”
Slegers on another Manager of the Month gong ‘I always want to share anything we win’
Slegers was voted the WSL Manager of the Month for February after Arsenal won both matches they played in the league. A 4-3 away to Manchester City was followed by a 5-0 drubbing of North London rivals Tottenham at home. The Halfway Line asked what individual accolades mean to Slegers, she replied:
“There was two games in WSL in February, so it wasn’t a big month. It’s the shortest month of 12 months in the year. But yeah, of course, happy with the wins that we got in that month. And there’s a lot of hard work, and I always want to share anything we win between people that are working here, so both players and staff, because I think you can’t do anything by yourself. It’s team sport.”
