Exactly how ‘meticulous’ Renee Slegers transformed Arsenal into European champions: Belief in the ‘Arsenal way’, close relationship with players and helping Alessia Russo and Chloe Kelly to rediscover their spark
TARA ANSON-WALSH: Where Eidevall’s final days were defined by slow-moving, overthought accumulation play, Slegers has actually released the team and brought a more liberated style.
On a cold, calm January morning at Arsenal’s London Colney training school, a sudden eruption of sound smashed the tranquility. The news had just broken: Renee Slegers, Jonas Eidevall’s former assistant who had stepped up as acting manager after his resignation, was confirmed as the permanent boss. The Arsenal women’s team erupted in celebration. Widely known and already valued by the players, the 36-year-old had already begun to halt the steady decline left by her predecessor. Collection were 6th in the top-flight and had suffered a 5-2 defeat by Bayern Munich in their Champions League opener when Eidevall stepped down. Under interim manager Slegers, they rebounded with an 11-game unbeaten run, winning 10 and drawing just once across all competitions. Thus the celebrations when Slegers had her name posted on the manager’s door. The club were investing in their young and promising 36-year-old Dutch prodigy, and she quickly endeared herself to the fans by saying she wanted to win trophies ‘the Arsenal way’. Now, less than 4 months after that day in north London, Collection have managed to lift the ultimate trophy of all, beating some of the most imperious teams in club football in the process in Barcelona and Lyon.
Renee Slegers had already ingrained herself to her Arsenal team before being appointed Jonas Eidevall’s successor in January. Now, the 36-year-old has etched her name in Gunners mythology by leading the club to victory in the Champions League. In doing so, Slegers has restored Arsenal to their former glory at the pinnacle of women’s football.
To understand how she so dramatically turned this grand old ship around is to understand the demanding, compassionate individual beneath the calm exterior. A midfielder in her playing days with a strong passing game and vision, Slegers even spent a year with Arsenal’s academy at the age of 17, learning from Emma Hayes and Kelly Smith– a period of her life which she later claimed was widely influential in her understanding of the English game.
By 26, Slegers was playing in Sweden’s top-flight with 55 caps for the Netherlands when a career-ending injury struck. Researching practical philosophy with a focus on sports ethics at the time, she began considering her options, including a career in journalism. However, an offer from the Swedish FA to pursue her A Licence shifted Slegers’ focus to coaching, and she landed her first role with Limhamn Bunkeflo and then Sweden’s Under-23s. At this point, she had caught the eye of a certain Eidevall at Rosengard, and she joined him at the Swedish top-flight side to coach their B team. When Eidevall departed Rosengard for Arsenal, Slegers took his place, winning back-to-back league titles before deciding to join him in north London in September 2023 as his individual player development coach.
And it was in this role that her bonds with this team of players truly began to form. Slegers would sit down with them regularly to analyze their strengths and weaknesses on a microscopic level– breaking down their game into their physical, technical, and emotional aspects, and helping them assess how to make improvements. She would often ask players to problem-solve for themselves, believing that they could both learn from each other. The players quickly grew fond of Slegers, appreciating her direct yet soft-spoken manner — qualities that she continues to display from the dugout, even under the utmost pressure.
Meanwhile, those on the inside at Arsenal were growing increasingly impressed by Slegers. Weighing up various CVs, the top brass at Arsenal kept finding their interim manager was half a step ahead of the rest of the applicants at every stage of the process. In the end, Slegers was unanimously voted in. Part of the reason the transition from Eidevall to Slegers was so smooth was due to their similarities in how they wanted their teams to play– on the front foot, aggressive, defensively solid, and with a focus on putting on a good show for their passionate group of fans.
Since taking the reins, Slegers has shown a unique approach that has brought out the best in her team. The Arsenal crowd quickly took to Slegers, a feeling which is certainly mutual, with Slegers noting that Arsenal’s move to the Emirates this season has been game-changing– the massive crowds often acting as a ’12th player’ on the field. Where Eidevall’s final days were defined by slow, overthought accumulation play, she unleashed the team and brought a more liberated style. And Slegers made a few tweaks to the system, making the sharp call to move Steph Catley to left center back to strengthen Arsenal’s defense, while also transitioning Mariona Caldentey from the wing into midfield– a role the Spanish World Cup winner excelled in during the semi-final second leg against Lyon.
When it comes to her training sessions, Slegers, with her intuitive eye for football, is meticulous. She explains to her players the way that she wants them to play and the processes to get them into those positions. She also delegates responsibility, happy to hand over to her coaching team and to the players themselves. Having competed in the women’s game herself, she found a way to connect with them on a unique level. Insiders with close ties to the club state that Slegers never leaves players guessing about their role in the team. In games where players have been benched, she communicates the reason why, and in the games where they are being brought on as a substitute, they come in with the belief they can impact the game.
The key to both Russo’s and Kelly’s revival has been a renewed sense of joy. They have frequently mentioned they’re playing with a smile again in Arsenal’s challenging yet rewarding culture– and the goals and assists have followed.
After this weekend, Arsenal have another name to add to that illustrious list. Arsenal Champions League Women’s Football
