Jonas Edvall: Former Arsenal coach hopes to make a splash in San Diego when he replaces the WSL with the NFL | Football news

The ending was abrupt and not at all what Jonas Edvall had envisioned upon leaving Arsenal. The Swedish coach has spent just over three years in north London, having signed a new and improved contract last October, with the ambition mutually agreed – to return Arsenal to their former glory.

The problem was – and perhaps still is – that at some point, the club had to stop seeing this ambition as the future and set intentions in the present.

The plan was always to achieve success beyond winning the Confederations Cup (important as they were at the time), but when? Fans were starting to get tired of the uncertainty surrounding everything and as a result the heat was heating up at Edvale.

Then, when Chelsea returned from the Emirates to west London with a deserved three points on a dreary day in mid-October, things reached boiling point. With an impressively large fan base, Edival – and the club as a whole – have worked tirelessly to grow it over a number of years. Project Edival is over.

Speaking on the eve of the announcement of a new project with San Diego Wave in the US, Edvall said Sky Sports On what prompted him to leave in the middle of a season that started with such optimism, and what he did to the “phenomenal coach” who replaced him.

“I personally decided before the Chelsea game that it would be the best decision for me to leave the team,” Edvall reveals exclusively. “What I saw was a team that only missed small details, but I saw in that moment that my relationship with the fans was like a hanging cloud.

“We needed to find a quick way to remove that cloud. It was a very difficult decision for me to make, because you have a part of you that wants to be a fighter and prove the doubters wrong — and that's what I've been doing my whole life.” Complete career.

“But you have to step away, understand what's about you, what's 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 so I was walking away.”

While the decision seemed surprising from the outside, Edvall sensed a change in tone before long. It is too simplistic to attribute the turning point to one isolated event, but a clear shift occurred when Arsenal allowed Vivien Miedema, the Premier League's all-time top scorer, to leave on a free transfer last summer.

“It was clear that I lost a lot of my relationship with the fans when we decided not to renew Miedema's contract,” says Edival. “Overall, this decision was difficult for me, but that's life sometimes.”

What didn't help Edival's case was where Miedema ended up. One of the most feared strikers in women's football has not only left Arsenal for free, but has joined Manchester City, a direct rival to the Women's Football League, strengthening their cause at a time when Arsenal's deserving of the Women's Football League silverware seems more distant than ever.

“Did you think there would be a lot of hype around this decision? I didn't think so,” he continues. “But at the time – and this is where people sometimes don't get the full picture – we had the opportunity to bring Mariona Caldente from Barcelona, ​​or we could try to keep Miedema. To have both, from a budget perspective, it was difficult.” Never possible.

“I was in a position where I couldn't really talk about these things (Miedema's contract), and that became an issue. People looked at the decision in isolation, but it was never a decision in isolation.”

“Arsenal wants and needs to succeed in a sustainable way, which also means making difficult economic decisions and it was not looked at through that lens. We had to make choices and prioritize and that is the reality.”

However, having 'zoomed out', Edvall reflects on his time at Arsenal with great pride, and rightly so. Although there may be more important victories off the field than on it, the Swedish coach has been part of a very positive cultural shift at the club. Arsenal have become the envy of the WSL due to the crowds they attract and the loyalty of this wealthy fan base, and make a seamless move to their newly designated home ground at the Emirates Stadium.

Their commercial strength, despite not having won a Women's Football League title since 2019, is at an all-time high, and Edival itself continues to be an engine of growth in women's football more broadly.

“It's been a great time to be part of the club. To see the power of having a fully invested club, from a sporting perspective, but also from a business perspective, and understanding that growing a team doesn't happen without collaboration.

“During my time, we developed into a very competitive team against the best teams, reaching the Champions League semi-finals and beating Chelsea in both finals. That part was important to progress, and I was privileged to do that. At the same time the average rose Attendance from 1,500 to 35,000 – that was special.”

Of course, Edival's Arsenal era coincided with a particular force on the pitch: Emma Hayes' Chelsea. Many coaches have faced Hayes and lost, but Edvall can boast two successive Cup Final victories – the latter sparking the “pushing incident” that has led to a touch of stalemate ever since.

But with Hayes now the head coach of the US National Team, will that change anytime soon?

“We didn't send each other any Christmas wishes,” Edval says with a warm smile. “I had players at Arsenal who played for Emma, ​​but it was always her assistant who contacted me. It's the players' interests that are at the center. We haven't been in contact since March last year, but I don't have any.” grudge.”

Looking to the future, the 41-year-old is excited about what the future holds in a new country, working in a league with untold opportunities. “It's a very competitive league with a lot of investment and growth, having the stadiums and the facilities. Those two things make it very exciting for me. It's a development that we're not seeing in Europe at the moment and that's the main difference.”

But Edival is still monitoring his former club's progress, and is reveling in the success of Rene Sligers, who has won 10 of her 11 matches as caretaker coach, including progressing to the knockout stage of the Champions League.

Arsenal jumped to third place in the WSL table and are unbeaten since Edival'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 coaching staff. It's a very skilled team. The players have taken a lot of responsibility on the field under Renee's guidance.” “They gave very strong performances.”

Slegers hasn't been given the role permanently yet, but she's getting her chance, Edival believes.

“From what I know, and the work they've been doing, I don't think there needs to be any change. I know Renee personally, and how talented she is, I would fully support her in this position.”

“Arsenal have the best depth, if you compare the three clubs (at the top of the Premier League). 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 It airs on Friday 17 January when Liverpool host Brighton; Kick-off at 7pm