Earlier this week, Aston Villa defender Anita Asante announced her retirement at the end of the season. Neets was part of the Arsenal team that won the quadruple in 2006-07, starting both legs of the Champions League Final against Umea in 2007.
Asante also spent a good portion of her career in Sweden, where she was coached by Jonas Eidevall at one point. Anita was a guest on the Arsenal Women Arsecast last July to appraise us of the incoming coach’s qualities.
Asante will captain Villa at Meadow Park on Sunday and Eidevall had nothing but good words to say about the player as she approaches the final two games of her illustrious career.
On the eve of my 37th birthday, it's time to announce my retirement from football at the end of the season!
I want to thank my family, team-mates, managers, fans & all the clubs I have played for.
To say it's been a privilege is an understatement. It's been a dream❤️ #ThisGame pic.twitter.com/8WDKIZXdan
— Anita Asante (@NicenNeetz) April 26, 2022
“She is an excellent person and an excellent football player,” Jonas enthused. “She is very brave too, she went abroad when not a lot of English players were doing that to challenge herself as a player and a person.
“What struck me when I worked with her was how comfortable she was with the ball. How good she was handling pressure, she was a very, very big part of the Championship winning team we had in Sweden, I have very fond memories of Neets and working with her.
“I only worked with her for a short period in her long and amazing career, I hope she finishes off with a really good performance but a really bad result on Sunday, then I hope that she wins her last game!”
COYGG