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The Sun
6 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Spurs sack women's team boss Robert Vilahamn after waiting even longer than they did to axe Ange
TOTTENHAM have dropped the axe on Robert Vilahamn's run as manager of their Women's Super League side. Their parting of ways with the head coach, 42, follows the team ending the 2024/25 campaign second from bottom. 4 4 4 Today the club confirmed their decision to end Vilahamn's reign which comes two days after them sacking their Prem team boss Ange Postecoglu. The Aussie got the boot 16 days after leading the Londoners to Europa League glory. Their 11th-placed finish is their lowest ever in the WSL and follows a run of just five wins and five draws in 22 games and 12 losses. It also comes one season on from Spurs reaching the Women's FA Cup final for the first time last year where they fell to a 4-0 defeat to Man United. In a written statement today the club said: "There have been some special moments during Robert's tenure, including reaching the FA Cup final for the first time. "However, results and performances this season have not been to the level we would expect and now is the right time to make a change. "We should like to thank Robert for his professionalism and efforts over the past two seasons, and we wish him well for the future." Vilahamn's two-season Tottenham stint follows his three years at Swedish club BK Hacken where he worked as an assistant and then manager of their women's team. During his time as Hacken head coach he steered them to two Swedish Cup finals and Champions League qualification in 2023. The Sweden-born manager, who took charge of Tottenham in July that year, enjoyed a promising start in first season at their helm. He guided Spurs to sixth-place in addition to the 2024 FA Cup final. 4 He also steered them to their first ever defeat of Arsenal in the WSL with a 1-0 win against the Gunners at Tottenham Stadium in December 2023. Vilahamn's departure follows some significant senior level changes at the club. Aside from the head coach's exit and Postecoglu's departure, Spurs executive director Donna-Maria Culllen stood down from her role on June 2.
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Tottenham sack women's team boss Robert Vilahamn a month after side finish second from bottom in WSL
TOTTENHAM have dropped the axe on Robert Vilahamn's run as manager of their Women's Super League side. Their parting of ways with the head coach 42, follows the team ending the 2024/25 campaign second from bottom. 4 4 4 Today the club confirmed their decision to end Vilahamn's reign which comes two days after them sacking their Prem team boss Ange Postecoglu. Their 11th-placed finish is their lowest ever in the WSL and follows a run of just five wins and five draws in 22 games and 12 losses. It also comes one season on from Spurs reaching the Women's FA Cup final for the first time last year where they fell to a 4-0 defeat to Man United. In a written statement today the club said: "There have been some special moments during Robert's tenure, including reaching the FA Cup final for the first time. "However, results and performances this season have not been to the level we would expect and now is the right time to make a change. "We should like to thank Robert for his professionalism and efforts over the past two seasons, and we wish him well for the future." Vilahamn's two-season Tottenham stint follows his three years at Swedish club BK Hacken where he worked as an assistant and then manager of their women's team. During his time as Hacken head coach he steered them to two Swedish Cup finals and Champions League qualification in 2023. The Sweden-born manager, who took charge of Tottenham in July that year, enjoyed a promising start in first season at their helm. He guided Spurs to sixth-place in addition to the 2024 FA Cup final. 4 He also steered them to their first ever defeat of Arsenal in the WSL with a 1-0 win against the Gunners at Tottenham Stadium in December 2023. Vilahamn's departure follows some significant senior level changes at the club. Aside from the head coach's exit and Postecoglu's departure, Spurs executive director Donna-Maria Culllen stood down from her role on June 2.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
How Arsenal's comeback queens achieved the unthinkable
Tears rolling down her face, remnants of gold and red confetti still visible in the background, Arsenal manager Renee Slegers could barely believe what she had just earlier, her side lifted the Women's Champions League trophy for the first time in 18 years, having won 1-0 in Lisbon to stun European giants was an achievement that was barely conceivable nine months ago when Slegers was Arsenal's assistant manager and they had lost the first leg of their second qualifying round tie with BK glory was hard to comprehend and Slegers, usually so composed, could not prevent the outpouring of emotion. Underdogs defying the odds Memories of Arsenal's historic victory in 2007 have dominated newspapers this week, while Slegers' side joined members of that squad for lunch to reminisce on the special defied the odds back then and knew it would take a near-miracle in Portugal to claim a second title, seeking out inspiration in finished third in the Women's Super League last season, meaning they had to come through three rounds of are the first team in Women's Champions League history to play 15 games before lifting the off, titled the "underdogs" - even Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati admitted she was "surprised" Arsenal had overcome Lyon in the semi-finals - few really gave Slegers' side a chance against the defending just one win in their opening four WSL matches of the season, their European hopes under threat with defeat by Bayern Munich and a growing sense of unrest among the fanbase, former manager Jonas Eidevall had no choice but to step Katie McCabe and Leah Williamson have this week praised the Dutchwoman for "steadying the ship" at a time when things were atmosphere at Arsenal was far from positive, players needed a lift and Slegers had a big task ahead to turn things around. And turn things around she did.A 4-1 win over Valerenga got them started in the group stages and the results just kept took interim charge in October and it took the club until mid-January to announce her as manager on a permanent basis after going unbeaten in her first 11 games in charge - winning 10 and drawing the season progressed, Arsenal's juggernaut gained momentum and the Gunners reached the knockout stages of the Champions took on the mantle of 'comeback queens' after falling to first leg defeats against both Real Madrid and Lyon in the quarter and semi-finals respectively, but against all odds they turned things around to book their place in Saturday's final. Slegers and her side had already won in some ways - just reaching the final had seemed out of their reach and as she stated in her pre-final programme notes they had "done some magical things" to get rolled out the red carpet for the event as co-owner Josh Kroenke flew in from Denver and was alongside executive vice-chair Tim Lewis, managing director Richard Garlick and director of women's football Clare Wheatley in legends were invited to join them, academy players sat in the stands looking on at their potential futures and around 4,500 fans travelled from had gathered on Pink Street, a vibrant painted road near Lisbon's harbour, decorated with colour and punctuated with England goalkeeper Mary Earps had flown in, sporting an Arsenal shirt with her good friend Alessia Russo's name on the were all here for a party but few had dared to dream of victory. How they achieved the unthinkable Their task was to overcome a Barcelona side chasing a third successive European title, a team that has been widely branded as the best domestic side in the world and boasted potential Ballon d'Or winners in almost every rocked up full of confidence - understandably so - and went about their business as usual. This was nothing new, nothing special, just another however, had been growing in confidence under at the club speak of Slegers' calming influence, how she instilled a sense of empowerment and brought out the best of each of her players. They have spoken about feeling "free" and being able to express themselves - most of the pre-match media conference comments from Russo and captain Kim Little centred around their "togetherness" and "belief".Slegers is meticulous in her planning. Little said they had tried to replicate Barcelona's movements in training to work out how to combat it. Several times they failed, until they found the solution."It was the perfect execution of a gameplan which as a footballer, is one of the best things," said Little."It showed in our performance. How we approached the game was very controlled and then we had little pointers of belief as we knew we would need that."Slegers did her homework. Earlier in the week she spoke with Emma Hayes - the assistant manager at Arsenal in 2007 - someone who has been to battle with Barcelona on numerous occasions while at had conversations with 2007-winning manager Vic Akers, while her staff analysed all three of Barcelona's midfielders individually, working out the strengths and weaknesses of Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and Patri."There are not a lot of weaknesses at Barcelona. They are on a very high level. We looked at how we could exploit it in the best way possible," said Slegers."We used all possible tools to disrupt them but stay close to what we wanted to do. The game management was key to why we won." 'It means so much for the future' Despite all they have achieved against the odds this season, Slegers says the "scary thing" is that she believes there is more to come."It means so much for everyone who has built towards this but it also means so much for the future," she added. "It motivates us and it shows what we are capable of. If you are part of Arsenal you go for trophies. That is what we want to do."Little admitted it may take days for their achievements to sink in but the reality of their success could hit home on Monday with the club planning celebrations with fans outside Emirates fanbase has developed significantly in the 18 years it has taken Arsenal to replicate their European success and it gives them a platform to build attendances averaging 29,000 at Emirates Stadium, the club is planning for all their home Women's Super League matches to be held there next would be the next step in their growth to expand women's football with Arsenal's hierarchy hoping they can use it as a draw to recruit talent in the transfer have looked at their recruitment strategy - which has struggled at times to compete with WSL champions Chelsea's financial power - employing four lead scouts to cover more of the global talent pool. They identified a crack in their pathway which has stunted the breakthrough of some of their academy talent and are now looking to use the loan system more efficiently. But victory in Lisbon is a tangible example of what can be achieved when everything comes together - and Arsenal have no intentions of standing still. Head here to get involved
Straits Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Coach says Kerr tracking well but not ready for Matildas return yet
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Women's Champions League - Group D - Chelsea v BK Hacken - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - December 14, 2023 Chelsea's Sam Kerr during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley/File Photo REUTERS Coach says Kerr tracking well but not ready for Matildas return yet SYDNEY - Matildas striker Sam Kerr is still not ready to play some 15 months after knee surgery but might possibly be available in the next international window, Australia's caretaker coach Tom Sermanni said on Wednesday. Kerr has not played for Australia since scoring her 69th international goal against Taiwan in November 2023, and Sermanni made clear any return to the Matildas camp would be conditional on the agreement of the 31-year-old's club, Chelsea. "She's tracking pretty well, but she's not just quite ready yet to come in and play," Sermanni told reporters after announcing his squad for friendlies against Argentina on May 30 and June 2. "From our situation, it's a camp-by-camp sort of scenario. Obviously, for Chelsea, now they're at the end of their season, so now they'll be looking at her coming back and ready for the pre-season to start next season." The Scot said it was feasible that Kerr could be in the squad for double-headers against Slovenia in late June and Panama in early July if Chelsea wanted her to have a runout before the London club start pre-season in early August. "If (Chelsea) feel that she's ready to come back for our next window, whether they think, well, it'd be good for you to come and get some game time. That might happen," he added. "If, on the other hand, they say, look, we just want her now to take this time to get her preparation really well done, so that come the start of pre-season, she's ready to go. That's, I would say, probably a more likely scenario." Sermanni said he was in regular contact with Kerr, adding that the striker and her partner Kristie Mewis seemed happy after the arrival of the couple's first child earlier this month. Joe Montemurro looks set to be announced as a permanent replacement for Tony Gustavsson once the Australian finishes up the season with the women's team at Lyon. "Joe would do fantastic in the job," Sermanni said. "He knows the players intimately. He's coached at the highest level for a very long time. And he's been extraordinarily successful." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn's job at risk
Tottenham are considering sacking manager Robert Vilahamn this summer after a disappointing campaign. Vilahamn led the club to the Women's FA Cup final in his debut season but Spurs finished second-bottom in the Women's Super League this year. He joined from Swedish side BK Hacken in 2023 and was given a three-year contract extension last July. Only relegated Crystal Palace shipped more goals than Tottenham in 2024-25 and Spurs' points tally of 20 was 11 fewer than they recorded last season. The club had ambitions of closing the gap on the WSL's top four but sources suggest they are unhappy with the direction under Vilahamn. Senior assistant coach Vicky Jepson has already left the club to take up a role with the United States women's youth teams. The decision on Vilahamn's future will be made by the club's board as they prepare for a crucial summer of recruitment. Head here to get involved Get the latest WSL news on our dedicated page
