The ending was abrupt and not at all how Jonas Eidevall envisioned leaving Arsenal. The Swedish head coach spent a little more than three years in North London, after signing a new and improved contract last October, where the ambition was mutually agreed – to restore Arsenal's old glory.
The problem was – and perhaps still is – that at some point the club had to stop looking at such ambitions as the future and set their sights on the present.
The plan was always to achieve success beyond a few Continental Cup trophies (how significant they were at the time), but when? Fans began to tire of the obscurity of it all, and the heat on Eidevallo grew as a result.
Then, when Chelsea returned from the Emirates to west London with three deserved points on a gloomy mid-October day, things reached a boiling point. An impressively large fan base Eidevall – and the club as a whole – have worked tirelessly to cultivate over the years. The Eidevall project has been completed.
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Arsenal lost to Chelsea in Jonas Eidevall's main final match
Speaking ahead of the announcement of a new venture with San Diego Wave in the US, Eidevall said Sky Sports on what prompted him to leave in the middle of a campaign that started with such optimism and what he thinks of the “amazing coach” who has stepped in for him.
“I personally decided before that Chelsea game that it would be the best decision for me to step away,” Eidevall exclusively reveals. “I saw a team that was missing only small details, but at that moment I saw that my relationship with the fans was like a hanging cloud.
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Arsenal have won 10 of their 11 games in all competitions since Eidevall left, and have climbed to third in the WSL table
“We had to find a quick way to remove that cloud. It was an incredibly difficult decision for me because you have a part of you that wants to be a fighter and prove the doubters wrong – that's what I've done my whole career.
“But you have to zoom out and understand what is it about you and what is it about the team – what do the players need at this moment? I thought the easiest and quickest way to help the players perform was to remove that cloud, and whether I got away .”
Although the decision appeared abrupt from the outside, Eidevall sensed the change in tone much earlier. It is simplistic to attribute the turning point to one isolated event, but a definitive shift occurred when Arsenal allowed the WSL's all-time top scorer Vivianne Miedema to leave on a free transfer last summer.
Vivianne Miedema scored for Man City on his return to Arsenal earlier this season
“It was evident that I lost a lot of relationship with the fans when we decided not to renew Miedema's contract,” Eidevall reflects. “All in all, it was a decision that hit me hard, but that's life sometimes.”
What didn't help Eidevall's case was where Miedema ended up. Not only did one of the most feared strikers in the women's game leave Arsenal for free, but she joined direct WSL rivals Manchester City, further bolstering their cause at a time when the Gunners seemed as far away as ever.
“Did I think there would be so much noise about that decision? I didn't,” he continues. “But at that time – and people sometimes don't get the full picture here – we had the opportunity to bring in Marion Caldentey from Barcelona, or we could have tried to keep Miedema. Getting both, from a budget perspective, was never possible.
Mariona Caldentey signed from Barcelona in the summer and has been a great spark in her eight WSL starts so far
“I was in a situation where I couldn't talk about those things (Miedema's contract), and that becomes problematic. People viewed the decision in isolation, but it was never an isolated decision.
“Arsenal want and need to be successful in a sustainable way, which also means making difficult economic decisions and it was never looked at through that lens. We had to choose and set priorities and that's the reality.”
However, having 'downsized', Eidevall reflects on his time at Arsenal with great pride and rightly so. While there may have been more significant victories off the field than on it, the Swedish coach has been part of an extremely positive culture change at the club. Arsenal have become the envy of the WSL due to the crowds they attract and the loyalty of such a rich fan base, transitioning seamlessly into their newly named home of the Emirates Stadium.
Their commercial power, despite not winning the WSL since 2019, is at an all-time high, and Eidevall herself remains a driver of growth in the women's game more broadly.
“It was an incredible time to be part of the club. To see the power of a club invested so much, from a sporting perspective, but also from a commercial perspective, and to understand that the development of the team is not achieved without cooperation.
Arsenal won back-to-back Conti Cups in 2023 and 2024, defeating Chelsea both times
“During my time we developed into a team that was very competitive with the best teams, we reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and beat Chelsea in two finals. That part was important to progress and I was privileged to do that. at a time when we grew from an average attendance of 1,500 to 35,000 – that was special.”
Eidevall's Arsenal era naturally coincided with a particular force on the pitch: Emma Hayes' Chelsea. Many trainers have taken on Hayes and lost, but Eidevall boasts back-to-back cup final wins – the latter sparking a 'pushing incident' that has created a tinge of frost ever since.
But with Hayes now the head coach of the US national team, will that soon change?
Eidevall and Emma Hayes clashed in last season's Conti Cup final
“We didn't send each other any Christmas wishes,” Eidevall says with a warm smile. “I had players at Arsenal who played for Emma, but always her assistant came to the fore. The player's interest is at the center. We have not been in contact since March last year, but I have no contact. anger.”
Looking ahead, the 41-year-old is excited about what the future holds in a new country, working in a league with incredible opportunities. “It's a very competitive league with a lot of investment and growth, with owned stadiums and facilities. Those two things make me very excited. It's a development that we don't see in Europe right now and that's the key difference.”
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Is Renee Slegers the perfect permanent replacement for Eideval at Arsenal?
But Eidevall is still keeping a close eye on his former club's progress and is enjoying the success of Renee Slegers, who has won 10 of her 11 games in the interim, including progressing to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Arsenal have jumped to third in the WSL table and are unbeaten since Eideval's departure.
“Renee has done a tremendous job, I'm not surprised. She's a very good coach and let's not forget the rest of the technical staff. It's a very skilled team. The players have taken on a lot of responsibility on the pitch under Renee's leadership – they've had very strong performances.”
Slegers' role has yet to be permanently rewarded, but it has earned its chance, according to Eidevall.
“From what I know, about the work they did, I don't think any change is needed. Knowing Renee personally and how talented she is, I would absolutely support her for the job.
“Arsenal have the best depth if you compare the three clubs (at the top of the WSL). They are a team built to compete in all four competitions and this spring will be proof of that.”
The WSL returns to Sky Sports shows on Friday, January 17 as Liverpool host Brighton; beginning at 7 p.m