Union Berlin’s Marie-Louise Eta is aware of the special position in the Bundesliga, but wants to concentrate on football

Union Berlin’s new coach Marie-Louise Eta – the first woman to manage a Bundesliga team – is well aware of the discussions surrounding her appointment last week, but said on Thursday «she was solely focused on getting the team back on the winning track.»

Eta was appointed as interim head coach for the remainder of the season on Saturday following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, with Union finishing in 11th place.

She will oversee the men’s first team until the end of the campaign before moving to the club’s women’s side.

“I completely understand that there is a public issue (of the first woman as Bundesliga coach),” she told a news conference ahead of her first match at home against strugglers VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday.

«Obviously I know the issue and it was never about that. It’s always about football, about working with people… and about being successful.»

«I have the club’s confidence and I am happy with it. The most important thing now is to prepare for the weekend against Wolfsburg,» Eta said.

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When asked if she had any hesitation last week when she got the job offer, Eta added: «There was nothing to think about. I was home on Saturday, so I was initially surprised (to get the call), but then I was happy with this confidence, ⁠and then it happened quickly.»

Eta said she was by no means an exception in football, with women increasingly taking up key positions in many clubs around the world.

“There are female coaches before me. Also in many other countries,” Eta said. «I understand the problem and the interest in it, but it would be nice if this problem did not exist and it was only about success on the field.»

Eta coaches Union’s Under-19 team.

She became the first female assistant coach in the German top flight at Union in 2023, but her appointment this time has also sparked derogatory reactions on social media, which have been condemned by the club.

“This (social media comments) doesn’t concern me because it says more about those posting these things than it does about me or other people they are talking about,” she said.

«The fact that my appointment became so big may have surprised us a bit, because it wasn’t really that for us. I hope that this will become less and less in the coming years and that people will focus on football.»

Published on April 16, 2026