Arsenal defender Steph Catley has hinted she wants Renee Slegers to be handed the manager’s job on a permanent basis after hailing the club’s interim boss for “steadying the ship” and fuelling the squad with confidence.
Slegers has overseen a 10-match unbeaten streak since she was handed the temporary reins following Jonas Eidevall’s departure in October.
The Gunners, fresh from a 1-0 win at Liverpool, are third in the Women’s Super League and host Bayern Munich in the Champions League at Borehamwood’s Meadow Park on Wednesday knowing that a win against their German opponents would see them finish top of their group.
Hard at work in training 👊 pic.twitter.com/UNIfAIzoUr
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) December 17, 2024
Asked if she would like Slegers to remain in charge, Australia international Catley said: “That’s not up to us, unfortunately. But yes, as a team, obviously we’re very happy right now.
“We’re getting results. There’s a good vibe around the team. I’ve not been knocking on doors, but maybe (captain) Kim (Little) can do that.
“Obviously, the results are important, but the way that we’re playing football and the way that we’re building as a team is also really important.
“Renee is our leader. She came in under difficult circumstances and really steadied the ship. She’s given a lot of individual players the confidence to play how they want and to go out and do their thing. She brings a lot of positive energy and is a really good communicator. She has been incredible.”
Scoring in five consecutive #BarclaysWSL games 🌟@ArsenalWFC @alessiarusso7 pic.twitter.com/hpMXu92R4k
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) December 16, 2024
Arsenal were thrashed 5-2 by Bayern in October – a defeat which proved to be Eidevall’s penultimate match in charge.
But the Gunners have won four in a row in Europe since then – including victories home and away against Juventus without conceding a goal – to leave them just one point off top spot. They have already secured their place in the quarter-finals.
Reflecting on the loss in Germany, Catley continued: “That game was a big wake-up call for us. We’re a proud team. We want to score goals, but we also want to keep clean sheets.
“So that was way too many goals conceded, and just a poor performance frrom us.
“To take on a team like Bayern right now, which is one of the best teams in the world, is going to be tough, but I feel like we’re in a good place to get a result, and that is our biggest aim. We want to finish top of the group, so we’re going out there to win.”