‘Borderline slander’: Arsenal’s Eidevall hits back over Taylor’s claims of bullying
Jonas Eidevall, the Arsenal Women coach, has said Gareth Taylor’s accusation that he bullied the fourth official is “unacceptable” and is “borderline to slander”.
Taylor made the claim after Manchester City’s 2-1 Women’s Super League defeat to Arsenal at the weekend. Eidevall refuted the allegations about his behaviour towards the fourth official, saying there was “no truth” to them and urging Taylor to apologise. He said, however, that is unlikely to happen.
“To be honest I was really disappointed with the comments,” he said. “The wording Gareth used after is borderline to slander and either he is not very good with the truth or he is not very good with the language, but either way I don’t think it is acceptable.
“I’ve not spoken to Gareth. I don’t think his comments are acceptable and I would expect him to reach out with an apology but I’m not sure that will happen.”
Despite feeling aggrieved Eidevall said he did not want the matter to develop into a legal situation: “I have no intention of getting more of my energy than needed. But I do really think it is unacceptable to say things about fellow colleagues that is not true.
“I think everyone who was at the game could see my behaviour and could also see there is not a single percentage of truth and I think it [Taylor’s comments] was quite sad to be honest.”
Eidevall believes he is less emotional now than he was five years ago and he has developed in to a coach that can take “good” professional decisions.
“Have I been passionate on the sidelines, have I lost my tempo and my control on my emotions? Absolutely I’ve done that. Being in the job for 20 years like I have, I think we have all been in that position and I think a person who hasn’t been here is not telling the truth.
“If you had seen me five years ago I think I was much more emotionallyattached to the game and each situation. I don’t think there were more than five or six occasions in 90 minutes where me and the fourth official had a professional discussion about why certain things happened on the pitch.
“I have done nothing I would be ashamed of or would hide, I’m all good with that behaviour and I think I act like the coach I want to be.”