Revolutionary leader at the Alte Försterei: How Marie‑Louise Eta is shaking up men’s football

However, the Köpenick young footballers have to make do without their previous coach. Because Eta, 34 years old and with the club since 2023, has been on an even bigger stage for a few days. Since Union parted ways with coach Steffen Baumgart on Sunday night and promoted Eta as their successor until the end of the season, the football world has been going crazy.

“Today the first big revolution is taking place in the Bundesliga. Union Berlin is writing football history,” commented the Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport. “Marie-Louise Eta continues to be a trailblazer for women in men’s football,” wrote England’s Daily Mail.

Similar things could also be read in many other national and international media. Eta is the first woman to work as a head coach in one of the five major European leagues.

The Dresden native is already familiar with media hype. “I completely understand that. But I wish that at some point it would be more normal; that there would no longer be 20 cameras pointed just at me. I never wanted to have a special role,” said Eta two years ago in an interview with the Tagesspiegel.

At that time, after the end of Urs Fischer’s great era, she worked for the first time in Union’s men’s professional team. As an interim duo with Marco Grote and as assistant coach under Nenad Bjelica. That was also historic, but now the attention is much greater. With all the negative side effects.

In addition to a lot of support, there were also numerous sexist and hateful comments on social media. Union clearly opposed these online and in a press conference; they are nothing new for Eta.

As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated environment, she is familiar with resistance. Eta said she no longer reads comments. “I free myself from that and instead am happy when I receive positive feedback or the stadium shouts ‘Football Goddess’.”

Big media crowd at the first training session

She had to do without that on Tuesday afternoon at the training ground in the shadow of the Alte Försterei. Fans were not allowed to the first session under Eta, but journalists were allowed to watch for 30 minutes – and the crowd was perhaps never bigger than at a 1. FC Union training session. Around 40 media representatives were present, and Union President Dirk Zingler also looked on in the drizzle that was setting in.

Eta greeted in a friendly manner, briefly called the team together and then stayed in the background for the time being. While athletic trainer Martin Krüger led the warm-up, she grabbed the bibs, helped set up, talked to her assistants and observed.

It was only after a good 20 minutes that she actively intervened. “Boys, come together,” could be heard across the pitch despite the noise from the training center construction site. When explaining a form of the game, she said, “Play flat!” One could say somewhat maliciously that this wasn’t exactly Union’s strength under Baumgart.

She described her ideal idea of ​​football two years ago as follows: “The fans should look at the pitch and say: There are eleven players who are really keen on football, everyone wants to have the ball, everyone wants to play forward.”

However, they will not initiate a tactical revolution in the remaining five games. It’s about staying in the league and you have to move away from your own philosophy a bit, she said in 2024, and she would probably agree to that today. “You can’t expect us to play magical football overnight.”

Despite the desolate second half of the season with the low point last Saturday in Heidenheim (1:3), the Köpenickers are seven points ahead of the relegation place, but they are not yet saved. With a win on their debut on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) in the An der Alten Försterei stadium against relegation-threatened VfL Wolfsburg, Union could already be planning for another season in the Bundesliga.

What happens next for Eta in the summer will probably be decided in the coming weeks. In the current season she was extremely successful with the U19s and remained unbeaten in 14 games in the preliminary round of the new DFB youth league.

Things didn’t go quite so well in the main round, but Eta has already been announced as the new head coach of the women’s professional team for the coming season. Union manager Horst Heldt did not want to rule out on Monday that she could train the men beyond the summer.

“My goal has always been to play at the absolute top level and then also to work as a coach at the absolute top level,” said Eta two years ago. She achieved this as a player, still under her birth name Bagehorn at Turbine Potsdam. In addition to three German championships, she also won the Champions League in 2010 before ending her career at the age of just 26, partly due to numerous injuries.

Versatility as a great strength

After her active career, she made a name for herself at the Werder Bremen youth academy and as an assistant coach in various U national teams. At Union, Eta has already held various positions with the U19, male and female professionals in just under three years.

It is precisely this versatility that is one of its great strengths. With her approachable but very clear manner, Eta quickly succeeds in winning people over. She can work with pubescent girls or boys as well as with experienced professionals like Christopher Trimmel. Union’s captain is four years older than his new coach.

With her experience and training as a soccer teacher, which she completed in 2023 as the only woman in her class, she is already well qualified. “If you just be yourself and the players and staff see that you know what you’re talking about, you’ll be accepted quickly. That goes for anyone who comes somewhere new, whether they’re a man or a woman,” said Eta.