Earlier this week, Arsenal confirmed the departure of Vivianne Miedema after seven years in North London, in which she has broken countless records and won the hearts of Arsenal fans the world over.
The decision has been a contentious one among the fan base, to say the least. At his pre-Brighton press conference, Arseblog News asked Jonas Eidevall if he could shed more light on the club’s decision not to offer Miedema a new contract.
‘I understand the interest in that question, it is a unified club decision and we took a lot of care in that decision,’ he told us. ‘We have to weigh in a lot of different factors, what is best for the club.
‘I don’t think it would be worth sitting here and speaking about reasons why and why not we would go in certain directions. I think it would just be overshadowing what has been a truly remarkable story between Vivianne Miedema and Arsenal.
‘I think that should be the headline, her remarkable contribution to the club and that is what should be getting all the light at the moment.’ The club planned the announcement ahead of the final game against Brighton so that supporters had the opportunity to pay tribute to Miedema at Meadow Park.
Arseblog News asked Eidevall if he and the club were aware of the strength of feeling and the disagreement from many Arsenal fans over the decision.
‘One part of what has been so special about this and previous seasons has been the connection between the club and the supporters. One thing, obviously, many supporters have connection to is individual players.
‘I think that is natural that we will have players our supporters feel very affectionate towards. I understand football is emotions and decisions like this leave a lot of raw emotions.
‘My message would be that when we take these decisions it is to build Arsenal as strong as possible for the future. We want nothing more than to be as successful on the pitch as possible and that’s the direction we want to go as a club.
‘That is where the whole leadership team wants to bring the club as well. We will hopefully also have positive and encouraging news about how we are strengthening the squad and the setup around the team.’
Finally, Arseblog News asked Eidevall what Miedema’s reaction has been to not being offered a contract by the club.
‘She has been very professional, as always. Vivianne Miedema is a very professional football player, she has been training very well. I think she is very focused on trying to do her best all the time when she is representing the club.’
Gutted to read this. Viv was a huge reason I began following Arsenal Women’s team and also attended quite a few of their matches.
The feeling I have reminds me of when Cesc (again one of the reasons I began following Arsenal in the first place) left the club. The players that draw you to the club leaving feels very acute.
It turns out alright in the long-term but to Jonas’ point, hope they’ve made the right decision.
At least Cesc wasn’t let go….by a manager who has improved nothing so far, failed to qualify for group stage in WCL this season.
You and I are similar! First became drawn to the Arsenal women’s team because I saw her at the WC in 2018 and learned she was an Arsenal player, I got hooked. 2008 was also when I first started seriously watching the Arsenal and Cesc was by far my favorite player. My heart broke when he left and I have found it HARD ever since to love an Arsenal player as much as I did Cesc. It’s hard to picture Viv in a football club shirt that is not Arsenal’s. But I guess it was always going to happen one… Read more »
Top Dutch goalscorer for either the men or women teams, Arsenal superstar only 27, seems very weird unless she won’t recover from her injury fully.
She’s the best player in the world. They must know something we don’t to let her go. I’m gutted anyway.
Hi, I’m confused, if the player wanted to leave the club then we thank them for their contribution and wish them all the luck in the world. If the club is not offering a very talented, goal scoring and someone who knows the league and has established connections with the other players, it’s only baffling, especially with the lack of goals that have been scored this year in compassion to Chelsea and Man City. I’m afraid looking from the outside in there are a few questions that arsenal board need to look at, and there is no smoke without fire… Read more »
Viv has been a massive influence on the success of the Arsenal Womens team over the past 7 years.
She is at an age where her quality and experience are relevant to top level women’s football.
Something just doesn’t seem right with this decision.
I am truly gutted by this, but hope Viv finds a club that values her qualities.
Sad to see her go. I would have preferred to see this coach go instead. He seems to have plateaued, and has a lot of inconsistent results from the team.
Without explanation the look will continue ti be conflict between Eideval and Viv, especially given the touch line video doing the rounds
Personally I would rather keep Viv and boot JE. His stand tactics are holding back the team
Not sure you can read anything in to a argument they had on the touchline / on the pitch etc. Eidevall has always spoken about Viv in the highest terms eg he thinks she of all the Arsenal squad she has the best tactical head and likely to make the best coach. I think it comes down simply that Viv does not fit in with the Eidevall’s style of play and if you are backing the manager you can’t keep players that don’t fit with that style, especially as they are likely to take so much of the wage budget,… Read more »
Viv is too straight talking for Eidevall and the flaky Arsenal team his management is creating.
When was the decision made ? January ? or eariler
This decision will definitely make or break Eidevall.
If it goes well for Viv at City and Arsenal have another so-so season, there is only one way that this will end
Keep Viv, lose Jonas. Better deal for me.
Not just Eidevall’s decision. I know ‘it was a club decision’ feels like a line but that’s very much my understanding of it.
JE is really a master of grandiloquence. U may want to consider being a diplomat after Arsenal women win all the trophies next season😂
I know zilch about women’s football and their contractual situations at Arsenal, but if they let Miedema go, doesn’t that mean that Beth Mead will follow out?
I agree with that and Mead’s exit is a matter of time.
Why? Viv did not leave when Lisa Evans did. Beth did not leave when DvD went. Other players manage long distance relationships so I cannot believe it is a foregone conclusion.
Viv and Evans were history when Evans left. I am not surprise that Beth may not have wanted to live in France!! Not a forgone conclusion but i cannot believe Beth Mead accepts this any easier than thousands of others. Someone is going to have to make a statement that AWFC will sit up and listen to; Mead leaving may be close to that exact thing.
Both the relationships broke up after Lisa and DVD left the club
His comments have changed my view on his ability to coach this side to success. Players have left the club before, men and women, but NONE left me feeling certain that the club have been reckless in their decision and will come to regret it. Like others I rather hope they do as we are saying thanks and good bye to goalscoring legend, no less, and all round world class player.
This is close to the final step for me. Jonas will regret this, we all will.
Jonas is just a more polite and talkative Erik ten hag- when will the team develop a definitive style of play
I still don’t understand the plan that Arsenal has for women, Edu Gaspar said in an interview that he wants to invest more in the women’s team, but what would these investments be (accommodation, facilities, ultra-modern gym )? We are living in a time of constant change and evolution in women’s football, the competitions will be fiercer and more difficult, I’m talking about (WSL, WCL, FA Cup, Cont Cup…) and who knows in the future WORLD CLUB, be transparent with the fans who fill this stadium, giving full support to the club, but I wish them success in their plans… Read more »
Every comment I have read so far is asking why Arsenal are letting go the greatest player in the world. No one is talking about perhaps they know something we don’t! Both Meado and Leah have bounced back from their ACL injuries but Viv has had nothing but trouble getting back to a player that could go the full distance. Perhaps there are issues in that knee that are not repairable and she will never again be the player that everyone remembers? I am not saying that is fact, I don’t know, but it is a possibility just like Tabbi… Read more »
That would be the only valid explanation for me. But since they are not saying that openly (I understand that might be confidential information), it’s not surprising that some of us feel it doesn’t make sense. I think we’ll get more of a clue when Miedema joins another club as she will have to pass a medical.
If what you say is true no club will sign her! She is training and available for Sunday so how unfit does she need to be?
Well, quite!
well said.
As probably the longest standing supporter on this site, I’d say cherish the memories. I’ve seen so many great players move on (and sadly pass on) but I remember them with great fondness. And things bring the memories back. The daughter of one of my all-time favourites, Geordie Armstrong, regularly tweets and it takes me straight back to the double-winning season on 1970-71! One of my best memories of Viv is being right behind her through pass to Stina to lay on the equaliser against United. Wherever you go, Viv, you’ll always be in our hearts.
I would also want to point out it’s not “raw emotion” that the fans have with Viv’s departure, it’s confusion. This is something Arsenal club need to understand and not belittle as “raw emotion”.
As probably the longest standing supporter on this site, I’d say “cherish the memories”. I’ve seen many great players leave (and sadly pass on). I’m loving the tweets from the daughter of George Armstrong, one of my favourite players if all time. They take me straight back to the 1971 double!
One of my favourite memories of Viv is being right behind her through pass to Stina that laid on the equaliser against United. And I loved her first goal at the Amex which set us on the way to the victory that would clinch the title in 2019.
Little Georgie on one wing and “Stroller” on t’other! Thems the days! I had a penchance for No.4 so much so that I borrowed his moniker less an “e”! Not quite jumpers for goalposts but that was some night at White Hart Lane!
I saw today that Jonas is asking for investment in the women’s team. Has he not done this all wrong having dispensed with two goalkeepers and one of the world’s best players? Would it not have been better to have secured investment before callously waving goodbye to the players. The man id thicker and less an]ble that I had imagined. My support for this idiot has almost gone I am afraid.