Marie-Louise Eta, who has taken over as the head coach for Union Berlin-marking the first time a woman has held such a top position in the history of the German Bundesliga-states that her primary focus is on being recognized for her coaching abilities. Speaking to the latest edition of “Die Zeit” and three European partner media outlets, Eta clarified that her motivation has never been superficially about promoting women in the field. She stated, “I have always wanted to convince people with performance. I want to be seen as a football coach”.
Despite this assertion of professional focus, she acknowledges the significant societal weight of her role. “Because of this, I bear a responsibility, whether I want to or not” she admitted.
Regarding her coaching methodology, Eta does not see any difference in working with male or female players. She emphasizes that her attention is always on the individual. For her, the crucial factor is “what the person in front of me needs in order to deliver their best performance”.
Looking back at her own experiences, Eta also described the opposition she has faced. She recalled hearing remarks like, “Don’t let a girl beat you on the pitch” from her youth. However, she feels she has grown in resilience over the years. “But I can build up a thick skin; I can ignore it. And I can shoot back” she added. She concluded by noting that in professional sports, everyone must constantly prove themselves regardless.