After a turbulent season on the sidelines, the San Diego have secured a new head coach.
Jonas Eidevall, a Swedish coach who led Arsenal’s women’s team for four years, has agreed to take the helm, sources confirmed to the Union-Tribune on Monday. An official announcement is expected after the holidays.
Eidevall will be the fourth coach for the Wave during the 2024 season.
Casey Stoney, who signed a contract extension in January intended to keep her with the team through 2027, was dismissed by club president Jill Ellis in June following a disappointing start and a stagnant offense.
Paul Buckle took over as interim coach during the summer’s Olympic break. In August, Ellis appointed former U.S. Men’s National Team star Landon Donovan as interim coach, replacing Buckle.
Donovan’s tenure saw mixed results, with a 3-6-1 record in 10 NWSL matches and a 2-1-0 performance in the Concacaf W Champions Cup. During this period, the team faced significant roster changes, including Alex Morgan’s retirement, Abby Dahlkemper’s trade, and the release of Sofia Jakobsson and Sierra Enge.
Last month, the Wave announced that Donovan would not return and that the coaching search was in its final stages. The search excluded Ellis, who left the club for a role with FIFA.
New Wave Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton set her sights high, landing the 41-year-old Eidevall. At Arsenal, Eidevall achieved an 80-24-16 record with a +192 goal differential over three-plus seasons. He resigned in October after a sluggish 1-1-2 start. Ironically, Casey Stoney was rumored as a potential successor for his Arsenal role. Since Eidevall’s departure, Renée Slegers has been coaching the team.
This will be Eidevall’s first coaching job in the United States. His previous experience includes roles with Sweden’s Lunds BK and FC Rosengård from 2006 to 2014, a return to Rosengård in 2018, and stints as an assistant coach for Denmark’s Lyngby Boldklub and Sweden’s Helsingborgs IF.
Known for his possession-oriented style, Eidevall’s approach contrasts with Donovan’s faster-paced system. Fortunately, he inherits a talented roster that includes two of the nation’s brightest young stars: defender Naomi Girma and midfielder Jaedyn Shaw, both members of the United States’ Olympic gold medal-winning team this summer.
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