Marie-Louise Eta of Union Prioritises Bundesliga Performance Over Public Scrutiny

Eta took over as interim head coach on Saturday for the rest of the season after Steffen Baumgart was sacked with Union sitting in 11th position.

She will lead the mens first team until the campaigns end before transitioning to the clubs womens squad.

I fully get why the public is highlighting this milestone of the first female Bundesliga coach, she remarked at a press conference before her debut match on Saturday hosting struggling VfL Wolfsburg at home.

I am aware of the significance and it has never been the focus for me. Its always been about the sport of football, collaborating with players and achieving victories.

The club trusts me completely and I appreciate that. Right now the priority is gearing up for the clash with Wolfsburg this weekend, Eta stated.

When questioned about any doubts upon receiving the offer last week, Eta responded: There was no need to hesitate. I was at home on Saturday so the call caught me off guard at first but I was thrilled by the confidence shown and events moved swiftly from there.

Eta emphasised that she is far from unique in football as women are increasingly securing prominent roles across numerous clubs globally.

Female coaches have paved the way ahead of me in various places including other nations, Eta noted. I recognise the curiosity surrounding this but ideally it would fade away so attention stays solely on pitch accomplishments.

Eta has guided Unions Under-19 side.

She made history as the inaugural female assistant coach in Germanys top division with Union back in 2023 yet this latest role has sparked offensive remarks on social media which the club has strongly denounced.

Such online backlash does not faze me as it reflects more on the commenters than on me or those they target, she explained.

The scale of attention on my appointment caught us somewhat unprepared since internally it felt routine. I hope over the coming years this fades and focus returns purely to the game.