‘It’s brutal – we’re human beings!’ – Arsenal boss Slegers on recent WSL sackings | OneFootball

Arsenal boss Renee Slegers has spoken out about the recent sackings in the Women’s Super League after two managers lost their jobs in two days.

Matt Beard was let go from his duties at Liverpool on Thursday, while Laura Kaminski parted ways with newly-promoted Crystal Palace on Friday.

Liverpool sit seventh in the league, while Palace sit bottom, but their sackings have raised questions about whether the expectations placed on managers are too high.

“I think it’s all connected to expectations,” Slegers said. “I think it’s brutal sometimes to be in a role because we’re human beings and as much as you want to control things and give direction and lead things in the right way, you’re not going to be able to control everything.

“All coaches in the league know how intense WSL is and the challenge that you’re facing week in, week out and how big the game is growing and all the other things that are expected of you as a head coach.

“I think the job is very demanding. And of course you want high quality and people that can manage that role really well. So there’s a balance.

“In my opinion, you need to come with competencies and with quality and you need to be backed as well and understand that you’re both aligned on what the expectations are and where you’re going as a club and as a team.”

In his second stint with the Reds, Beard guided Liverpool to an impressive fourth-placed league finish last season.

Kaminski steered Palace to a historic promotion to the WSL but after 14 games, they are rock bottom on six points, four points behind 11th-placed Aston Villa, who also lost their manager this season.

Slegers took over from Jonas Eidevall as head coach after he parted ways with Arsenal in October 2024, initially on an interim basis, which was then made permanent in January.

There was a lot of pressure on Eidevall at the time after recording just one league win from his first four, and many fans were demanding change.

Arsenal’s form under Slegers has been impeccable, winning 15 of her 19 games in charge, with only two losses – to Chelsea in the league and Manchester City in the League Cup.

Arsenal captain Kim Little also discussed the managerial sacking and said: “Inevitably that is what happens [where the managers bear the brunt], because they are the person at the top.

“There is probably a part of it where it will be to do with resourcing and how much support they have to elevate the team – whether that’s support from the team and who they have around them to do their job, I think that probably is a part of it.”