Renee Slegers headlined the media for the first time following her permanent appointment as Arsenal head coach, saying she is “very happy” to have landed the job.
Confirmation that Slegers had received the position of head coach until the end of the 2025/26 season came on Friday morning, following what was said to be an exhaustive process carried out by the club.
“I’m very happy to be sitting here now, and we all made the decision together to move forward like this,” Slegers said. “I’ve just seen what the players have done and how we’ve connected with the squad, the club and the fans as well. So that really played into my decision to want the job.”
“When I was dropped, it was very sudden, it was very unexpected, and I was just here to serve the club. Then my spell as an interim started to grow, it started to get longer. Then you started to see where we were. They were going as a team and the connection with the fans.”
Here to stay with The Arsenal ❤️
Renée Slegers is officially our permanent coach. pic.twitter.com/u6j53jBekJ
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) January 17, 2025
The Gunners went 11 games without a win since Slegers took the wheel, winning 10 games and drawing just one. Despite the success, it was the 1-1 draw against United that proved to be the turning point in Slegers’ mind.
“The game against Manchester United, when we didn’t get the three points, we got one point, but we performed really well and the fans got behind us and supported us,” he added. “This was a critical moment for me, knowing that there was something we can create here. I’m very happy to be sitting here now.”
The 35-year-old was then sent off against the post Jonas Eidevall resigned from his managerial position in terms that were believed to be unexpected. Despite the haphazard process, the Dutch boss took positives from the chaotic period.
“There has been a lot of learning in this period,” Slegers expressed. “It was a role I’ve never done before, so it’s interesting to see how I was able to take on a role like this. It’s been full of enjoyment, I’ve tried to create a light atmosphere where enjoyment and togetherness are very important. I’ve tried empower players and staff.”
Leah Williamson praised Slegers after the appointment was confirmed, expressing how the head coach has helped her strengthen her “mentality” over the past few months.
“I feel like before, we had a misunderstanding of my passion and the impact it had on the people around me, the impact it could have had on my performance,” Williamson admitted. “I appreciate it, because I feel like she’s looked at me, she’s seen me and she’s critical of me, but in a good way.”
The England captain has it previously discussed about the environment the head coach has fostered, saying she is “very happy to come into the job” since Slegers took over.
Williamson echoed that sentiment once again: “I’m glad he got the job. Obviously the results have been great, but it’s the environment that’s been nice. It’s a nice place to come to work, which is important. I think the greatest strength of this role is its empowerment and the way it has worked naturally.”
