Jonas Eidevall, the manager of Arsenal, has hit out at the Women’s Super League (WSL) for what he calls “simply not good enough” handling of changing games, especially for European tournaments.
The trouble started when Chelsea’s WSL game against Manchester United on Sunday had to be moved because it was too close to their Champions League game against Real Madrid on October 8. The Women’s Professional Leagues Limited, which runs the WSL, said that the change was necessary to put the well-being of the players first. But this choice was questioned because the schedule of games was set weeks before the Champions League draw, which Eidevall says shows “amateurish behavior.”
Eidevall pointed out the problem to BBC Sport:
“Of the 16 teams, 13 were set to play on Friday or Saturday, and all three English teams were set to play on Sunday for some reason. Our league’s leadership doesn’t do anything about these problems. It’s not good for the people. The league’s work is just not good enough.”
How it affected English clubs and their success in Europe
Eidevall asked the league if they really wanted to help English teams do well in Europe. He asked, “Does the league want English teams to do well in Europe?” The answer I would hope for is yes, but the way things are going shows otherwise. It’s clear that this isn’t important to them.
The Arsenal manager also talked about how important this year’s group stage was, pointing out that three English teams were making it to that point for the first time, which is an achievement that should be praised rather than criticized. “What needs to change is the approach to Champions League football.” Eidevall said about the WSL’s lack of a proactive plan to fit Champions League matches, pointing out that other leagues in Europe have handled similar scheduling issues well.
Eidevall’s words show that English clubs are getting more and more frustrated as they try to manage a busy schedule without enough help from the domestic league, which could hurt their performance in European tournaments.
