LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – England legend Kelly Smith has taken on a part-time coaching position at Arsenal club in preparation for their Champions League match against Wolfsburg.
The former England representative, who was a member of Arsenal’s Champions League-winning team in 2006–07, has returned to the London club as a member of Jonas Eidevall’s backroom staff.
As part of her UEFA A license program, she had already been working for the Gunners since the beginning of the year with the girls’ academy.
The former forward will now advance in her managing career by taking on a part-time position with the first team staff until the end of the current campaign.
“After speaking with Jonas [Eidevall, the manager] and Clare [Wheatley, head of women’s football] it was a really easy decision to join the coaching set-up here,” Smith told The Times.
“The club have been really supportive in helping me complete my A License and take the next step in my own post-playing career. It’s an exciting time to become part of this team — we’ve seen over the past few weeks just how resilient and together they are and I’m looking forward to working with them more closely on and off the pitch at this key point in the season. I love this club and it’s such a great feeling to be wearing the Arsenal badge once more.”
More than 52,000 tickets have already been sold for the second leg of Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final matchup against Wolfsburg, and Smith will be sitting on the bench for the Gunners.
Rafaelle Souza and Stina Blackstenius’ goals helped the London team rally from being two goals behind in Germany to earn a 2-2 draw in the opening leg.
