Renee Slegers discusses her appointment as Arsenal Women's head coach
17/01/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
17/01/2025
Sobha Realty Training Ground, London, UK
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SportsTranscript
00:00Well congratulations, please can you just start by giving us your reaction to being appointed as a permanent manager here?
00:07Thank you very much. I'm very happy with me sitting here now and we together made the decision to move forward like this.
00:22I've just seen what the players have been doing and how we've been connecting with staff and club and fans as well.
00:31So that's really put into my decision to want the job because obviously when I got thrown into it, it was very sudden.
00:41It was very unexpected and I was here to serve the club.
00:44But then under my period as an interim, it started growing and you start to look at longer term things.
00:51And you see where we were going as a team and also the connection with the fans.
00:56I think I've mentioned the game against Manchester United where we don't get the three points, we get one point.
01:01But we perform really well and the fans are backing us and supporting us.
01:04I think that's been a critical moment for me as well to see that there's something we can create here.
01:10There's something positive that we can create.
01:13So it's been growing during those months and I'm very happy I'm sitting here now.
01:18You've done a fantastic job. We've been talking this morning, 11 games unbeaten.
01:22How have you found the time that you have spent in interim charge?
01:26There's been a lot of learnings in that period.
01:32Obviously it's a role that I've never done before so it's interesting to see how you take on a role like that.
01:39When a head coach suddenly leaves and you have to...
01:42I think the next day we had the game against Wolleringen so we had to get going straight away.
01:49So what do you do as an interim coach? Where do you put your emphasis?
01:53How do you get the team going?
01:55So it's been a lot of learnings for me but it's been full of enjoyment.
02:00Try to create a light atmosphere where enjoyment and togetherness are very important.
02:06Try to empower players and staff.
02:09No, it's been interesting so I've enjoyed my time in the interim role.
02:14When I was here this morning I could hear cheering and clapping and celebration.
02:18I think that might have been the team hearing the news that you'd been appointed.
02:22So I'm guessing it's been a positive reaction from the squad?
02:26Yeah, it was a nice moment.
02:30There's been a lot of support from the players.
02:33Also me stepping into the interim role.
02:35I remember how players came up and said,
02:37let's do this together, we support you, we're behind you.
02:39And we would tell them back, we're supporting you, we're behind you guys, we believe in you.
02:44There's this mutual belief I think that's been going back and forth.
02:49So I'm happy that we're at where we're at but there's a lot of hard work to do
02:55and we want to hit our next level.
02:57In the statement that Arsenal have shared, you've talked about your desire to win trophies.
03:01Can you talk to us a bit about your ambitions for the role now that you are in charge?
03:06Obviously for this season until the end of May there's four competitions that we're active in
03:12and we want to do our very best and ultimately win trophies.
03:15But like I've said before as well, we want to do it the Arsenal way.
03:19Something that we want to do, that we get enjoyment of,
03:22where we feel like we're developing and progressing and getting better.
03:26And a beautiful product to deliver to the outside world as well.
03:31The WSL returns this weekend, can you give us an update on the squad?
03:36Any injury updates?
03:38No, we're in a good place.
03:41We trained 11 v 11 today again.
03:44So I don't think there's any changes from my last press conference ahead of Bristol.
03:52Firstly, what Crystal Palace next on the agenda for you?
03:55Can you talk to us a bit about them and what kind of challenge do you think they provide for you on Sunday?
04:00I think we need to be humble for every task.
04:04We need to be at our best to compete and to get our win.
04:08So we're very humble for what we're going to face.
04:11They will try to play their game and they will try to disrupt our game.
04:17I think with their set-up, let's see what they do.
04:21I don't know if they want to come out aggressive in a couple of moments,
04:23or if they try and make the spaces really compact for us.
04:26We'll see what they do, but it's going to be a challenging game.
04:28But we are full of belief and I'm very excited to start to play again.
04:33There have been reports that Celtic Rangers have held talks about potentially joining the WSL.
04:38I just wanted to get your thoughts on what you make of that.
04:42It's not really my decision.
04:44I guess a lot of other people are working in the background
04:47and figuring out what's the best way for the WSL to move forward.
04:51We want to grow the game, we want to grow women's football.
04:56I think they just have to have a look at what's the best number for the WSL.
05:01How many teams do we need to be able to make every game as competitive as possible?
05:05Because I think if it's competitive, then we'll develop players and we'll develop the game.
05:09Thank you very much and congratulations.
05:12Thanks, Tim.
05:13Hi, Renee. First of all, congratulations.
05:15Can I ask about Viktoria Pilova and Amanda Illerstedt
05:19and how close they are to maybe making a matchday squad?
05:22Yeah, so actually talking about 11 v 11 today, they were both joining.
05:27So that was really positive.
05:29So they're really making good steps.
05:31But depending on the length you've been away,
05:34it will also take you longer to really get game ready again.
05:37So they have a little bit left to go, but they're making real good progress.
05:41Last week I asked you about Catherine Call and you described her as in the building.
05:45I gather she's not in the building.
05:48How close is she to the move away?
05:50Yeah, no, you've seen that right.
05:52She's not in the building at the moment.
05:54She is getting close to a move, yes.
06:00Emily.
06:01Hi, Renee. Firstly, congratulations.
06:03We just spoke to Leah a minute ago.
06:05You talked a little bit about how you've helped her with the mentality side of her game
06:09and kind of helping separate different parts of her game to get the best out of her on the pitch.
06:13I just kind of wondered if you could talk a little bit about that
06:16and kind of helping players individually with the various things in their games.
06:19Yeah, so every player has different areas where they're really good
06:24and areas where they need to work on to get the best out of themselves.
06:28And that means something different for every player
06:31if you would split it into tactical, technical, physical and psychosocial or psychological.
06:36There would be different areas where players have their strengths and their development areas.
06:41So it's been good and full of learning and inspiring for me as well to work with Leah.
06:50We've had quite some chats and for her there's been things that we've been talking about
06:57and hopefully we're trying to figure out what will help her play her best game possible.
07:02Yeah, and obviously when you're in an interim role it's quite difficult to know how much change
07:08and what you're able to put in your stand on things.
07:10But I guess now you've got that permanency in your role,
07:13I guess are you excited about the things you can now do with the team
07:16and how you can look to grow over the next six months, year, etc.?
07:20Yeah, I am very excited because I think there's already a very strong foundation in the team on many levels.
07:26So I'm just very excited to keep on building on that.
07:29And that's previous coaches, staff members, players that have built this
07:33and very thankful also for the heritage you get.
07:37But during this time, the last couple of months, we've already been building to be honest
07:43because you need to keep on building even though you don't know where you're going to go.
07:47We felt like we want to try and hit our next level.
07:49We need to work on the team process.
07:52No, I'm very excited that now it's official and now we can really look forward a little bit more with the team.
08:00Suzy.
08:01Hey René, congratulations.
08:02I wanted to ask you a little bit about the process of being appointed.
08:06At what point did you think, I really want this job?
08:10And then as a part of that, what's the process been like as a whole for you?
08:18Yeah, it's been, like I said, the Man United away game was probably the first time I was thinking
08:24we're really creating something now.
08:26And it's positive in the group with the outside world, with the fans after the game.
08:32So that's probably the first time I had the thought in my head.
08:35But along the way, there's been different events, mostly in the building,
08:40so with staff and players that has given me those thoughts.
08:44And do I maybe want, this is inspiring, do I want to keep on building with this?
08:49But it's really, yeah, it's been growing like that over the last couple of months.
08:53The process has been very thorough.
08:56I think the club has been very critical and I've been really put into challenging situations and interviews.
09:04So the process has been really good.
09:06How do you, can I ask Leah a little bit about this, about whether she's noticed any change in you
09:12from being, not from interim to permanent, but from being an assistant to the head coach?
09:18Like obviously you've got so many different responsibilities in that role.
09:21She said she's seen very little change in you.
09:23How do you see your role sort of changing, your relationship changing with the players?
09:31And how are you managing to sort of maintain that veneer at least of not having changed?
09:38Yeah, no, that was my message this morning as well with the announcement that I am not going to change.
09:44I'm the same person, so I don't want to change.
09:47But what we want to do is to go to the next level together.
09:50So we will drive change from, if you want to look at it like that.
09:56No, it's been beneficial to step into this role from my assistant role.
10:01So I had a good idea of who the people were in the building, the players and staff.
10:06So that's been very helpful.
10:11Thanks. Kit.
10:12Fernandez, congratulations.
10:13You've played and coached in different countries and for many different clubs.
10:18But is there anything unique or distinct about being the Arsenal head coach that really makes it stand out?
10:26I think the big of a brand that Arsenal is globally and how much we can impact in the world with our football.
10:36But also all the responsibility we take in the community.
10:40So you're part of something very big and I'm very aware of that.
10:44So that's probably the biggest difference from the roles that I've had before in different countries.
10:51But if you go back to the basics and back to my role and what I do day to day with the players and staff, it's very similar.
10:58So whatever the context, your work will remain the same.
11:04You're working with people and trying to create a high performance environment where you try to get the best out of people.
11:09So that still stays the same.
11:12Has it altered your status as a woman, first of all, and as a relatively young head coach, someone who's recently a player?
11:20Do you think those things have helped you to forge a connection and relatability with your players since you've been a child?
11:26I think so.
11:27I myself feel like I'm very far away from my playing career.
11:30It was, I think, eight years ago.
11:32My last game was against England.
11:34But I've been actively working with that.
11:38So I think I lost that probably somewhere in my coaching career.
11:42Maybe in the middle of where I'm at now.
11:45So those eight years I've been coaching, I think in the middle there, year three, four, five.
11:49I was maybe very much into understanding the technical part, understanding leadership, understanding methodologies to train.
11:58And I was maybe floating away a little bit from the players' perspective.
12:03And I feel like that's where I'm going back to now again.
12:05I think it's very important to understand the player.
12:07And I try to relate back to when I was playing.
12:09And I try to be in the middle of the players as well to get their perspective.
12:13Some might say that being Arsenal head coach is one of the biggest jobs in women's club football.
12:19Are you ready for that kind of pressure, I guess?
12:23Yeah, well, I've felt a lot of support during this interim period.
12:28I'm very aware that being an interim coach is very different from having the permanent role.
12:33But, no, I've seen the support.
12:36And I see how we work together.
12:37And I see what we're doing with the team day in, day out.
12:41So that gives me a lot of belief.
12:43And like I said before, the support has been both ways.
12:46I don't read media so much.
12:49So I don't experience the pressure.
12:51So I really try to be in the moment and try to impact the team as much as possible.
12:56Thanks.
13:00Hi, Rene.
13:01I was just going to ask something similar to Susie's point on the moments you kind of realised you wanted to go for it.
13:09And you mentioned moments inside the building.
13:12I was just wondering if you would feel comfortable sharing any of those moments here.
13:18I don't know if I can even recall the exact moments.
13:20But it could be little things that we try something new in our meeting structure, for example.
13:26And we want more engagement from the players.
13:28And we get the engagement.
13:30And that was like afterwards.
13:32Okay, this is working.
13:33They are engaging.
13:34And they believe in what we're doing.
13:37Small things like that.
13:38This is just an example.
13:40I'm not sure if I can recall all the other examples.
13:42This would be one of them.
13:44I saw your interview with Ian Wright.
13:46And in that, you kind of mentioned when your playing career ended, you could have gone in a few different ways.
13:53And you mentioned journalism.
13:55Yeah.
13:56But I was just wondering, going from that moment to, I guess, individual development coaching.
14:04Was that side of it kind of the natural path for you to take?
14:08Or did that take a lot of work to develop as your own coaching skills as well?
14:13Interesting.
14:15Yeah, I studied communication sciences.
14:18So I wanted to do something with language or writing.
14:21Not maybe directly being a journalist.
14:24But more write deeper, longer texts.
14:28But it wasn't for me.
14:31And then I was studying practical philosophy.
14:35Also something very different.
14:37But more looking at the ethics in the sports world.
14:40So that's where I went a little bit towards sports.
14:42And then my career ended very early.
14:45I was 26.
14:47So I wanted to stay in the game.
14:50So yeah, that's basically how it happened.
14:53And how it helps me.
14:55I think I've just grown into the role.
14:58Like this IDA role that I had here at Arsenal was new for me as well.
15:02So, yeah, I'm happy I've been doing different things during this period after my playing career.
15:08And that I've been doing other things while I was playing as well.
15:11I was studying.
15:12I tried to get a broader view on the world as well.
15:14And so I'm happy that I got to be in different contexts in different worlds.
15:20Tom.
15:21Congratulations.
15:22Just a quick one from me.
15:23We just heard from Nicolás Hector.
15:24And he spoke very complimentary of you.
15:26And he said that your appointment was a very strong signal about the importance of promoting from within.
15:33What do you think it says, your appointment, about Arsenal Football Club and that promotion from within?
15:38Yeah, no, I see that we have a lot of competent people working here.
15:43We don't work daily close to the men's and boys' side.
15:48Well, we do with the boys during international windows.
15:50We work together with their coaching staff and some of our girls who train with the boys.
15:55So there's been real good cohesion, I think.
15:58But, yeah, just if I look at what we have, the quality that we have in our staff, it's very high level.
16:06Aaron, Melissa Phillips, who comes from a head coach role as well.
16:09Kelly Smith is in the building, accepts us really well with the goalkeepers.
16:12We have Chris full-time on set pieces.
16:14So we have such great quality.
16:17So, yeah, maybe I would agree with Nicolás.
16:21Thanks.
16:22Freddy.
16:23In all of your roles, you've sort of come in and played through doing the U-team, doing the B-team,
16:27and then going into the senior role.
16:29That's obviously been the same here, going almost in three different roles now.
16:32Do you think that served you really well in the process of getting the job?
16:35I think so, yeah.
16:37So, like I mentioned before, I believe in generalists.
16:40So you have the specialists as well, but I think it's very important to be a generalist
16:45so you understand the holistic things and understand the wider perspective.
16:51But to be able to do that, it's very good to get insight into the specialist roles as well,
16:56the special context.
16:58So, no, I think it definitely helped me.
17:00And at Rosengarden, you took over from Jonas, won two league titles.
17:04Interesting though, are there any similarities at all,
17:06the fact that you've taken over from the same manager in terms of tactically style of play or anything else?
17:13Well, I've worked really well with Jonas.
17:16I think I've said it many times.
17:18I've spoken to him quite a lot after he left.
17:22I respect his way of seeing the game, and it's been great learning from him.
17:29I think there's learning everywhere, and I've learned a lot of things from him.
17:34It's always going to be like that.
17:36We're never going to be exactly the same,
17:38so I think every person will bring something different,
17:40whether it's the tactical ideas or the way you want to lead or just who you are as a person.
17:46Obviously, that's natural.
17:49We've had a trio of academy players already this month signing professional contracts.
17:53Leo Soly-Mathieu, she's quite harsh on them,
17:55tries to remind them of back when she went through the academy.
17:58Is that sort of the same for you in terms of how you approach them
18:01going back to your academy days?
18:03How good is that for the club to already this month have three academy players signing pro deals?
18:08The level of our academy is developing.
18:11I think I've said it before, a year ago and looking at where they're at now,
18:15I think the players have developed so much, so it's great to see.
18:19To add on what Lia said, I think she's also very good helping the players.
18:23Yes, she puts the month on them, but she's also very good helping them,
18:27especially the backline players or the sixes who play close to her.
18:30She's really trying to help them and support them as well.
18:37Can you define your leadership style?
18:41Yes, it's a big question again.
18:46Now I get all these questions, obviously.
18:50I think I have some very clear values of what I think is important.
18:54I actually spoke to the players this morning, they've seen it.
18:57I've never made it specific for the players before,
19:01because I was in this interim role and we just had to crack on and win our games.
19:05But actually this morning I showed them what values are very important for me.
19:09I think empowerment is very important,
19:12so all the strengths that we have in the building and in the room,
19:15let's get the best out of those people with their strengths.
19:18Enjoyment is very important for me as well,
19:21because I think if you enjoy things in life,
19:23you're going to get the better out of yourself and the better out of the others.
19:27So that's a big one.
19:29We want to be respectful towards anyone, people, but also equipment.
19:34We're very privileged with a lot of things,
19:36so we want to have respect for who your coaches are,
19:41who the other people at the club are and who your teammate is.
19:44For example, those things are very important.
19:46I want to try and create togetherness with a lot of autonomy and freedom,
19:50but still giving a clear direction to the group.
19:53Do you have a quick message for the fans?
19:55Thank you for all your support.
19:58Like I said, that United moment was probably a very big moment for me.
20:04I know what it means for the players,
20:08so over a bigger stretch of time,
20:11how they can help us and support us when things go well
20:16and when things are getting a little bit harder,
20:18that's when we really need them even more,
20:20and also during a 90-minute game.
20:23We always want to go for the goal and we always want to score it,
20:27but if then that takes a little bit of time,
20:29we need to figure it out that they keep on believing
20:32and keep on supporting and keep on cheering.
20:33And also on our defensive actions,
20:35because we put high value on defensive solidity
20:37and I love it when the crowd supports us on those,
20:41on tackles or good team organisation and good defending.
20:45They've been a big part of us and we're very lucky to have them.
20:50Can I ask a quick one? I'm just intrigued.
20:52Why did you become German?
20:54Yeah, I will say I will take it out of my control.
21:04I got injured, I was 26.
21:07I was studying practical philosophy at the moment
21:11and then I didn't know what to do with my life.
21:13I had to rehab my knee and they offered me
21:17to do the A-licence course at the Swedish FA
21:22and I just did it and that's how the ball just went rolling.
21:24So to be honest, to give all the control away,
21:27that's what happened.
21:29Thanks Lea.
21:30Back here, Tom.
21:32Hi there, Renee. Congratulations.
21:35Thanks for speaking to us today.
21:37Just one quick question.
21:39I find it really interesting that of the 11 games
21:42that you managed, it was the one that you didn't win
21:44that was the game that really sparked,
21:48that you wanted to take the job.
21:51I just wanted to ask you about how much that reflects
21:55your character and how much Arsenal fans can expect
21:58that in those moments when things haven't gone
22:00perfectly for the team, you'll still have that
22:03fire in your belly to make things right
22:05and sort out the issues that they have.
22:07Yeah, it will help us as a staff, but not the least
22:10the players as well.
22:12But especially because of the result, the 1-1
22:16and then seeing how they reacted, that's why
22:19that thought came into my head and in your words
22:22what sparked me.
22:24Yeah, definitely.
22:27We'll leave it there, guys. Thank you.