Arsenal captain Kim Little says that she and the rest of the leadership group at Arsenal have an extra responsibility to help guide the team through a period of uncertainty following the resignation of Jonas Eidevall this week.
The Swedish boss resigned after just over three seasons in charge off the back of a week that saw a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Everton, followed by defeats to Bayern Munich and Chelsea. Gunners skipper Little says the players were made aware on Tuesday morning.
‘We were made aware this morning in our team meeting before we went out to train and it was sad, Jonas has been our leader for the last four years and he’s made the choice to step away. We have a huge amount of respect for him, as part of the leadership group, we get the players together because it’s a big change but we have to move forwards now and change our focus.’
Arsenal face Valerenga in the UWCL on Wednesday night before travelling to play West Ham on Sunday prior to the international break and the 34-year-old says it is up to her, as captain, and the rest of the leadership group to rally the team.
‘The strength of what Jonas has left is that we have the foundations here and this incredible club has everything in place for us to succeed, so we move forward with that and bring the group together for a really important one for us. We have gone through the tactics today and we look forward to refocusing it. Our job as players is to get out there and play and that is what we focus on.
‘We have regrouped as a player group and we talked about moving forward and refocusing for these games, which are incredibly important and they are coming thick and fast just now. It is hard enough to stay focused with that, but with the other leadership group members we talked about taking individual responsibility and to be supportive to our staff as we can and to Renee going into the Interim Manager role.’
Little was at the club when Pedro Losa and Joe Montemurro resigned and was also a player when Laura Harvey left the club to go to Seattle (where Kim eventually followed her for a three-year spell) and she says she will use that experience to help guide her team.
‘It is challenging but there have been a few occasions in my career when this has happened because I have been playing for a long time, we need to stay together and put on a really good performance tomorrow night.
‘We love our fans, they have grown in numbers over the last few years to come and support us at the Emirates and we get another opportunity to feel that again tomorrow and we need to put on a performance they can be proud of and get us back to winning ways.
‘As well as myself, there are several players who have been at this club for a long time, which I think at times like this can be helpful because we have been at the club so long. It is the responsibility of me and other leaders to step up. I think we always do that, day in and day out and regardless of whether there is change, we continue to lead in the same manner.’
Anybody wants Freddie Ljungberg like I do?
Spoken like the ultimate leader and professional that she is.
Very diplomatic, but one thing that has struck me is that the women’s team are playing as if they’re scared to lose the ball, so lack aggression. The question is why? We’ll find out when they next play, if that is down to Jonas.
I also think that the players who have returned from ACL injuries need to get their confidence back. That might also make a big difference.
This ball possession thing is sometimes good and bad, I felt and it was noticeable that the players seemed afraid of losing the ball, and with that came the lack of aggressiveness that is one of Arsenal’s trademarks, let’s see how it will be from now on.
Well said Kim
Kim speaks so eloquently & clearly & with a level head – what a Leader to have, and of course she is a sensational midfielder.
Perhaps Kim should be appointed as Interim Player / Manager!?
I think those suggestions that just about anybody could / should be manager / player manager are actually belittling the professionality of Women’s football as a whole.
No offense, but why should somebody that has no education and no licenses as a coach take over as player or manager of one of the world’s top 10 club teams?
Sure, that happens all the times in amateur or semi professional competitions or leagues, but that is not the level I see Women’s football on. There are Champions league and World Cup winners in our squad.
I feel apprehensive for when we play Vålerenga, I don’t know that players who were crying or annoyed on Saturday are just going to be able to turn it around immediately, especially when it’s a loyalist from the regime who has taken over. I just hope the forwards can score a few goals and start to get their mojo back.
She may be a “loyalist” in public but Renee is a manager in her own right so is likely to have her own ideas also. She may work out and surprise a few people, who knows? The main thing is we do not need to rush into an appointment as we have capable temporary hands available and whoever takes charge on a permanent basis must have the right qualities not just as a tactician but moulding talented players into a cohesive team that has a sense of purpose and the latter requirement is what let Jonas down.
Fair enough to feel a little anxiety at facing a confident, cohesive side at a time of change for us, but don’t worry on Slegers’ account. She won back-to-back titles at Rosengard. Appointed head coach there at the age of 32. That’s impressive. She also took charge when JE was serving a touchline ban. She’s a professional, she knows and likes JE, so of course she will be respectful, but that doesn’t mean that she is an acolyte of Eidevall. That said, I don’t expect her to make wholesale changes to the plan because the game is so close. She… Read more »
A diplomacy answer. I love Kimmy. – just sayin