Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall insists he's "very happy" with his Conti Cup final behaviour despite Chelsea's Emma Hayes slamming his "male aggression".
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Hayes criticises Eidevall's 'male aggression'Arsenal boss 'very happy' with behaviourWouldn't change his Conti Cup final conductWHAT HAPPENED?
Hayes bumped into Eidevall following the Blues' 1-0 loss to the Gunners in the cup clash at Molineux last month and later criticised the Swede for his antics following a touchline dispute with Erin Cuthbert. In his first press conference since the incident, the 41-year-old says he has not spoken with Hayes, criticised her post-match remarks, and insisted he would not have changed how he conducted himself in the moment.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT JONAS EIDEVALL SAID
He told reporters: "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."
When asked if he was surprised Hayes faced no further action from the Football Association over the clash, 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 BIGGER PICTURE
While Hayes escaped punishment, Eidevall is banned for Arsenal's home Women's Super League clash against Bristol City on Sunday evening after he left the technical area during the Chelsea contest.
He added: "It's never nice when people say something about you that you don't find to be 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."
WHAT NEXT?
After Eidevall's side – who sit third in the table, six points behind second-placed Chelsea and nine behind leaders Manchester City – host the WSL's basement club, they entertain lowly Leicester City a week later.
