Jonas Eidevall resigns as Arsenal women's coach

Jonas Eidevall has resigned as Arsenal manager following a disappointing start to the season, the Women’s Super League (WSL) club announced in a statement on Tuesday.

Eidevall was under significant pressure following the team’s 5-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League and 2-1 loss to Chelsea in the WSL within the space of four days.

A source told ESPN that Eidevall handed in his resignation on Monday.

Multiple sources also told ESPN that the back-to-back losses had been difficult for the team and had seen the Swede lose the dressing room.

Assistant coach Renée Slegers will take charge of the team on an interim basis with the club confirming that the search for a new manager is already under way.

“We thank Jonas for his commitment to the club and achievements here since joining us in 2021,” sporting director Edu Gaspar said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We have great respect for the dedication and commitment he showed to our women’s first team and recognise the role he has played in the growth and development of Arsenal Women. We all wish him the very best for the future.

“Our focus will now turn to the process of appointing a new head coach, and in the meantime, supporting Renée, as she takes interim charge of the team starting with two important fixtures this week.”

England head coach Sarina Wiegman said she was “flabbergasted” by Eidevall’s resignation but admitted that the fan’s outcry for his departure is a negative part of the newfound growth in the women’s game.

“I just heard. I was a little bit in shock, I didn’t expect that,” Wiegman told a news conference when announcing her squad for the national team’s upcoming October friendlies.

“Of course, that’s really sad; it’s always sad when things happen like that. I didn’t expect it. I had a good working relationship with him so I was a little bit flabbergasted.

“The game is growing so much. Three [English] clubs in the Champions League, it is getting bigger and bigger. You see that coming too, that’s also becoming part of the game, and unfortunately, this is a negative one; lots of things are very positive, but also some negative, hard things are coming with that too.”

Wiegman said she hasn’t spoken to England’s Arsenal contingent as she “didn’t know” the resignation was coming. “I’ll speak with them next week,” she added.

Eidevall, who joined Arsenal in June 2021 from FC Rosengard in Sweden, won two League Cup titles in his tenure at the club.