Renee Slegers says it’s “horrible” and “disappointing” to lose Katie Reid, who will be sidelined for the rest of the season after rupturing her ACL in training.
Reid had made an eye-catching start to the campaign, winning the fan-voted Player of the Month award in September and earning her first senior England call-up.
While she won’t kick a ball again for at least nine months, Slegers revealed the teenager is determined to use the setback as a chance to grow as a player.
“It’s always horrible, especially for her herself,” said Slegers in her pre-Bayern Munich press conference.
“She started the season so well for us. I think with her age, how mature she is, who she’s been in the group, how she’s been growing every single day. And she will also during her rehab.
“It’s very disappointing for her. It’s very hard. She’s been with us these last couple of days, and the surgery is planned, and she’s going to move forward from there.
“I chatted to her yesterday and she said she’s going to use this time to grow further as a football player. And I think that says everything about Katie. But it’s, of course, very disappointing.”
ACL injuries have long been a blight on the women’s game, prompting increased research into prevention, though clearly more still needs to be done.
“I think the starting point is to have as much awareness as possible in how we can prevent these injuries,” said Slegers.
“I think everyone would agree. I know the club is prominent in these processes on a wider scale; it’s very important \[to understand\] how we can prevent these injuries.
“There are a lot of things involved. It’s hard because it’s one little moment, and then you’re out for nine to twelve months. It impacts a player’s career.
“So, yeah, everything we can do on a wider scale, research, understanding, that’s where it all starts, because if we understand more, and we need to keep on doing research because the game grows so fast and so many things change, and we need to grow with that change. I think it’s the starting point.”
Aside from losing Reid, Slegers confirmed there were no new fitness issues following the weekend’s draw with Chelsea – a match Arsenal might easily have won but for some questionable officiating.
Reflecting on the mood in the camp, goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, who also attended the press conference, said: “We can get a lot of confidence from that game. And that’s what we want to take with us for the game tomorrow, so lots of positive.
“And of course, we’re devastated with, in the end, not getting the win, but I think we’ve shown everything we had that game.”