Jonas Eidevall: Reaching 100 games in charge is 'special', says Arsenal boss

Jonas Eidevall replaced Joe Montemurro as Arsenal head coach in June, 2021

"Once a snowball gets rolling, it goes faster and faster and picks up more and more snow. So hopefully, we're building something big."

That is the firm belief of Jonas Eidevall, who will manage his 100th Arsenal game on Sunday when they face Liverpool.

Since his arrival in 2021 he has led the Gunners to silverware, been embroiled in title challenges, but yet to end Chelsea and Emma Hayes' dominance in the Women's Super League.

The Swede, though, has no intention of slowing down and wants more success as he targets another century of games in charge at the club.

"It means a lot," the 40-year-old told BBC Sport's Jo Currie when asked about his milestone.

"It's special to have been able to represent the club 100 times. To be a Gunner for me is to represent the club the Arsenal way, both on and off the pitch. You really feel that when you live inside this football club.

"What does success look like [going forward]? What we have been showing in the first 100 games is the potential to beat any team when we play our best football.

"If that's going to result in trophies and more trophies, we need to hit those levels consistently and over long period of time. That is what success looks like for me."

Eidevall agreed a new long-term contract in October, with a number of Arsenal players also committing their futures.

Captain Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Kim Little and Manuela Zinsberger penning new deals is key for the future, said Eidevall, but he still plans to bring in new talent.

"It's important we have a core group of players that we build upon," he added.

"I also think it's important that we are really ambitious in this process and we want to bring as good players as possible in. We need the combination of keeping our best players but also adding on the best possible global talent. That is what we plan to do."

The WSL table since Eidevall's appointment before the start of the 2021-22 season

Since joining Arsenal in 2021, Eidevall has led the Gunners to consecutive top-three finishes in the Women's Super League.

Of his 99 games in charge, 55 have come in the WSL, with Arsenal winning 40 of them. Only Hayes' Chelsea have had more victories (46).

The Swedish boss credited how much the club has developed both on and off the pitch during his tenure and spoke about his own personal growth in that time.

"I've developed a lot," he added. "I don't think it's possible to step in the same river twice and I don't think it's possible to stay exactly the same person either when you're inside a club like Arsenal.

"There are some really good values in this club that transmit over to you when you're in this environment. I hope I've developed as a person, possibly become a better person for that. As a coach I think I use my ears more. I work with so many talented players and staff and I need to listen to them.

"I hope they describe me as passionate, as someone who really cares about football but also cares about them as individuals, that can have really high demands of them on the pitch but, if they need it, offer really high support in difficult moments. I hope I have that combination.

"They'd probably say I'm Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. I can be both. I can be both the good cop and the bad cop. I need to be conscious about when I use that.

"I can be fire but I can be ice as well. I need to choose the right personality for the right moment as a coach."