Renee Slegers Strengthens Bid for Permanent Arsenal Manager Role Following Derby Victory

Renee Slegers won 55 caps for the Netherlands. The calls for Renee Slegers to be appointed permanent Arsenal manager are intensifying, following another impressive victory during her interim leadership, a 3-0 triumph over Tottenham in the north London derby. Under the guidance of the former Netherlands midfielder, the Gunners have secured five victories in six matches, netting 19 goals while allowing only two. This sequence of results features notable successes against Valerenga and Juventus in the Women’s Champions League, preceding Saturday’s comfortable win at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Women’s Super League (WSL). Former Arsenal midfielder Fara Williams commented to BBC Sport, stating, “It is something the club must look at, giving her the manager role [permanently].” She added, “That is not to say that they need to rush into it. While she is getting the results and performances there is no need to make a decision just yet.” The joyous reactions from Arsenal supporters positioned in a section of the stadium presented a stark contrast to the sentiment at the beginning of the previous month, when fans had booed manager Jonas Eidevall and demanded his removal after a 2-1 home loss to Chelsea. Slegers, who became Eidevall’s assistant at Arsenal in September 2023, was appointed interim manager to provide the club with time to select a permanent successor. Arsenal captain Leah Williamson informed BBC Sport, stating, “It’s a different energy. Renee knows us all.” She continued, “She has connected with everyone individually. We got into a bit of a rut with low confidence and she has just stripped it back and wants the best out of every player. It’s working.” Forward Alessia Russo, who scored the opening goal against Spurs after only 63 seconds, remarked: “We are a little bit more confident. Things don’t change overnight. “She has allowed us a little bit of freedom up there and we are really enjoying it. Each game is getting better and better and we are getting some big results.” Arsenal is scheduled to host Juventus in the Women’s Champions League on Thursday, followed by a two-week hiatus for the international break. This timeline suggests that a permanent manager might be appointed before their subsequent WSL fixture at home against Aston Villa on 8 December. Anita Asante, a former player for both Arsenal and England, expressed her view that Slegers, 35, has demonstrated sufficient capability to warrant a prolonged tenure in the coaching role. She stated to the Football News Show, “The record speaks for itself so far.” Asante added, “I’m sure there are sceptics out there saying don’t get carried away. But it’s also about the body language from the players, the impetus they are putting on the pitch, the performances and results, the goals they are scoring. “That was a big struggle for them earlier in the season. They weren’t being clinical – already that’s a transformation.”