Jonas Eidevall: Arsenal Women boss says Emma Hayes' 'male aggression' comments were irresponsible

12 April 2024, 09:44 | Updated: 12 April 2024, 11:34

Arsenal Women head coach Jonas Eidevall believes Chelsea Women boss Emma Hayes was "irresponsible" after she accused him of "male aggression" following their touchline spat last month.

Hayes appeared to push Eidevall at the end of Arsenal's League Cup final win over Chelsea at Molineux as the two went in for their post-match handshake.

Hayes then later called out the Swede for what she claimed to be "male aggression" following a touchline fracas with Blues midfielder Erin Cuthbert late in the Gunners' 1-0 extra-time victory.

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In his first press conference since the incident, Eidevall revealed he has not spoken with Hayes, insisted he would not change the way he behaved and criticised her post-match comments.

He said: "I'm very happy with the way I conducted myself. Emotions are high in football.

"There are two really competitive teams and they want to win so sometimes one team tries to stretch the rules and that's fine - that's what we have the referees for and they made sure we stayed to the agreed rules.

"From my perspective, I wouldn't change anything."

Earlier this month it was confirmed that Hayes would face no further action from the Football Association over the clash.

Asked whether he was surprised by the FA's stance, he replied: "Not really.

"I thought the comments that I heard after the game were very irresponsible. They were not mirroring the conduct that I had in the technical area. That I thought was irresponsible, but that's all I basically think about it.

"The other parts when we shake hands after the game that's a very minor incident, for me that's nothing."

The 41-year-old added: "It's never nice when people say something about you that you don't find to its true. Maybe I'm lucky in that situation that everything I did was recorded.

"I need to be accountable for my actions and that's what I can take responsibility for.

"I'm very happy with the way I conducted myself and I wouldn't do anything differently if I could redo it again."

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