Slegers hoping to fine-tune the small margins as Arsenal prepare for Vålerenga | OneFootball

Renée Slegers says that she is hoping to help Arsenal fine-tune the small margins after being appointed interim head coach.

Former Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall left his position in the last 24 hours and the club have handed assistant Slegers the role of preparing the team for their UEFA Women’s Champions League fixture against Vålerenga at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.

When speaking in the pre-match press conference, Slegers said that she is focusing on turning the fine margins back into Arsenal’s favour off the back of a difficult three-match winless run.

“I’m looking forward to fine-tuning these small margins, because I think it’s been about small margins,” Slegers said. “That’s what I look forward to, getting on the right side of it.

“It’s about putting in a couple of extra percentages, as a staff, as a player group and then getting things over the line and turning things around, that’s what I look forward to.”

The timing of former boss Eidevall’s resignation is far from ideal, however, Slegers says that the team were already well into their preparation for the Vålerenga game.

She said “We already had our eyes on this next game, which is going to be played tomorrow and we stay there. The whole staff and player group have their eyes set on the game tomorrow, so it’s even more of a trigger for us to be in the moment, to be in the here and now and focus on the task that’s in front of us.”

Reacting to Eidevall’s departure, Slegers admitted that she was sad to hear of his decision to move on.

She said “I spoke to him yesterday afternoon and was shocked by the news. I was very sad because he’s been a good leader for the staff. I’ve worked with him before in Sweden and we worked really well together. I’m very sad that it got to this point.”

Arsenal’s UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage fixture against Vålerenga kicks-off at 8pm on Wednesday evening. Tickets remain on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.