German outfit Union Berlin have made football history by naming Marie-Louise Eta as their head coach, making her the first woman ever to take charge of a top-flight side in Europe’s top five leagues. Steffen Baumgart was handed his P45 on Saturday, with Eta swiftly announced as his successor and charged with steering the club to Bundesliga safety.
Union Berlin’s defeat to bottom-placed Heidenheim proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Baumgart, with the club’s hierarchy acting decisively. The side currently occupy 11th place but have yet to mathematically confirm their top-flight status. They hold an 11-point cushion over the relegation zone, and it would require a catastrophic collapse for them to face the drop.
Nonetheless, the club have turned to Eta to guide the team through the remainder of the campaign. The 34-year-old has been handed interim responsibility, having already been confirmed as manager of the women’s side from the summer onwards.
Eta said: “Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure. I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations. And, of course, I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points with the team.”
Other European clubs have notably appointed women to managerial positions, though never a side in the top tier. In 2014, French outfit Clermont Foot named Corinne Diacre as the first female manager in French men’s football history. She followed the path of Carolina Morace, who had been the sole woman to oversee a professional men’s side in Europe following her brief tenure with third-division Italian club Viterbese.
Union Berlin have now taken similar action, albeit on a grander scale, and remain confident their appointment will deliver the desired outcomes. Horst Heldt, the club’s director of football, said: “We have had a hugely disappointing second half of the season so far and will not allow ourselves to be blinded by our league position.
“Our situation remains precarious and we urgently need points to secure our place in the league. Two wins from fourteen matches since the winter break and the performances shown in recent weeks do not give us the confidence that we can still turn things around with the current set-up. We have therefore decided to make a fresh start.
“I am delighted that Marie Louise Eta has agreed to take on this role on an interim basis before becoming head coach of the women’s professional team in the summer as planned.” Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.