Former Arsenal player and Gunner legend Lianne Sanderson has identified the likely next manager of Arsenal Women. The 36-year-old revealed on talkSPORT that she believes Jayne Ludlow, Arsenal Women’s all-time top goalscorer, should be considered for the position of Arsenal manager.
Ludlow, aged 45, is considered a legendary figure that all current Gunner women should look up to. During her playing days, the midfielder won nine league titles, six FA Cups, and a UEFA Women’s Cup (now known as the Women’s Champions League). During her 13-year tenure at the club, she netted an impressive 211 goals in 356 games. After retiring from playing, she has taken on roles as a coach, technical director, and physiotherapist. And now Sanderson, a respected pundit, believes Ludlow should make a comeback to Arsenal as a manager.
Sanderson told the Women’s Football Show, “I say this all the time, I want you to be the Arsenal Women’s manager in years to come!
“I know it’s a big responsibility, but it’s the reality and I think all our teammates feel the same.”
After failing to qualify for the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stages, and being knocked out of the FA Cup, Arsenal women’s league campaign this term hasn’t been remarkable either. Our Gunners have lost three league games, though do remain in the title race, sitting in 3rd place and only 3 points behind front-runners Chelsea & Man City.
Their main opportunity for success lies in defending the Continental Cup. It is questionable whether that will be sufficient to demonstrate the progress made by the Gunner Women. Coach Jonas Eidevall’s position at Arsenal could be at risk despite a recent contract extension, with his future potentially hanging on the team’s performance in the upcoming matches.
Arsenal’s women’s team has received significant investment. With that investment, failure to achieve success could put the coach’s position in jeopardy. It appears that Ludlow may have some valuable insights to offer, as indicated by Sanderson’s comments.
For me, we already have a future Arsenal Women manager in our midst. Arsenal legend Kelly Smith seems the obvious choice to me, and she is already in situ, as Eidevall’s number 2. In Eidevall’s pre-Man United Presser, when asked about the value of Smith, on giving tips to our strikers, he said:
“Hugely. Both from a mindset perspective, but also from a knowledge perspective, we’re really blessed to have a person like Kelly in the building who can share her knowledge and expertise.”
I also don’t think we should be dwelling too much on Eidevall at the moment, personally. Our Gunners looked like a winning team, when they smashed Man United 3-1, before the international break. And the league title momentum is there, with Arsenal Women selling out Emirates Stadium for the first time ever, for a WSL game.
What are your thoughts Gooners?
Michelle Maxwell
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At some stage I expect Kelly Smith to manage the Arsenal Women’s team. Arguably the greatest England female player of all time and will command instant respect from the squad.