05 November 2023 , 17:10
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Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall says Emma Hayes will leave a legacy any manager "would be proud of" following the news that the Chelsea boss will leave the club.
The London club announced on Saturday afternoon that Hayes would be departing at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, with news since breaking that she has agreed a deal to manage the USWNT.
Hayes, 47, has had a hugely successful tenure at the Blues since her initial arrival in 2012. She has won six Women's Super League titles, five Women's FA Cups and two FA Women's League Cup with the London club, as well as taking them to the Champions League final in 2021.
Eidevall and Hayes have had some high profile showdowns since the Swede arrived at Arsenal in 2021, including last season's Conti Cup final which the Gunners won 3-1 to deny Chelsea the chance of a domestic treble. But following Arsenal's 2-1 win over Manchester City on Sunday, Eidevall paid tribute to one of the WSL's most successful managers.
"There’s no doubt that she (Hayes) will leave a legacy at Chelsea," said Eidevall. "I think it’s a legacy that all football managers would be very proud of leaving. She should be very proud of that.
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"She’s going to be one of the first ones after the season that I might pick up the phone and give a call to. Because I do think she has some really interesting ideas about football and how to build a football team and so on.
"When you’re not direct rivals, I would love to spend a little bit of time with her, listening to her experiences at Chelsea and so on, but that phone call has to wait and we have to remain competitors until then (the end of the season)"
Hayes will be looking to win her seventh top flight crown before leaving for pastures new. Her Chelsea side have already started the new campaign in formidable form, top of the league and unbeaten after thumping Aston Villa 6-0 on Saturday.
But Arsenal's dramatic late win over Man City, after Stina Blackstenius capitalised on goalkeeper Khiara Keating's error, keeps Eidevall's team in the title race. The Gunners are now just three points behind Chelsea, inflicting a first defeat of the season on City.
Eidevall jokingly said that he needed to make sure his London rival had a poor final season before she leaves English football.
Jonas Eidevall was speaking after Arsenal picked up a 2-1 win over Man City in the WSL"I think me and all other managers are going to try and make life in the WSL as difficult and unpleasant for her as possible before she leaves," he chuckled. "We have to remain competitors. But that’s not going to ruin her legacy anyway!"