Jonas Eidevall insists that he does not regret his arsenal output and dealing with Vivianne Miedema’s unpopular and controversial departure last summer.
The Swede initially took over the Gunners in the summer of 2021 after he was successful with Rosengard in his home country. During his term, he won the Women’s League Cup twice and defeated Emma Hayes’ Chelsea in the final 2023 and in 2024.
However, the start of this season was not possible. Arsenal won only four games from nine games in all competitions in the first few weeks of the campaign, and only one of them came in the WSL.
On the back of a dark defeat against Bayern Munich in the group of the Champions League and a WSL defeat against Chelsea, Eidevall left his role in early October. He was temporarily replaced by assistant Renee Slegers before the role in January was permanently presented.
The 42-year-old, who is now training with San Diego Wave in the NWSL, admitted that it was a difficult decision to go, but it was believed that it was necessary under the circumstances.
“I thought the simplest quick solution at this moment here is now for me to step down,” he said in an interview with BBC Sport. “It was very difficult to both for me personally – of course my family – but also professionally.
“It is a privilege to lead a club like Arsenal. It is something very special if you are there, that is to make an extremely difficult decision.”
Apart from a turbulent week with defeats against Bavaria and Chelsea, the collapse of the relationship between Eidevall and Arsenal fans had already started at the end of last season. The call not to extend Vivianne Miedema’s contract, with the striker now playing for WSL -Rivals Manchester City, the supporters with extreme dissatisfaction.
Eidevall has now announced that the decision was made because they had the budget to either expand Miedema or to sign the Spanish International Mariona Caldentey at a free transfer of Barcelona. After choosing the latter, he insists that he does not regret to let go.
“I don’t. I think you always make the best decisions you can make for the club at this time with the information you know,” he said.
“You cannot rethink decisions about new information that you cannot know at this point. This is not a helpful way to think about life.
“I think this decision was a major role in my relationship with the supporters [deteriorating]. I have never made a decision to be liked. I always made decisions because I felt that they were the best for the club and for the team. “
Eidevall was appointed head coach of San Diego in January and is now preparing for his first season in the NWSL. Previously, Casey Stoney’s wave was 10th place in the league in 2024 and could not qualify for the play-offs.
The former Arsenal boss is commissioned to restore his place at the top table, whereby his first game will take place at Angel City next weekend.