Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany: Marie-Louise Eta's Union Berlin appointment 'something special'
Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has hailed Union Berlin's decision to appoint Marie-Louise Eta - the first female to take charge of a men's team in a top-five European league.
Eta took charge of her first Union training session on Tuesday as she begins preparations for her historic first outing as a Bundesliga head coach against Wolfsburg at the weekend.
It’s set to be a monumental day not just for Eta, but for women in men’s football as a whole, as Bayern counterpart Kompany explained.
"I'm really happy for her. It’s always very easy to dismiss these key moments and say she’s just a coach like any other. But ultimately, it’s something quite special," the Belgian explained prior to his team's UEFA Champions League meeting with Real Madrid.
"It opens up opportunities for younger women who feel they, too, can become coaches. It opens doors. I wish her all the best. My only hope is that she isn’t treated like a man there, that people show her more patience. Coaching is a job where you’d really like to have more patience."
Watch: Marie-Louise Eta's first Union training session
Luckily for Eta, patience is something that she will seemingly be afforded. Although it is currently planned that Eta will take over Union’s women’s team in the summer, Union’s director of men's professional football, Horst Heldt, has left the door open to Eta taking the men’s job permanently.
"We'll discuss everything calmly when there's something to discuss," he said. "That's the original plan for now, but we're keeping all options open. Marie-Louise will be in charge of one of the two teams next season."
Watch: Heldt - 'Eta has the experience'
Eta takes over a Union team that have won just twice in 14 league games in 2026. The 3-1 loss to bottom side Heidenheim that cost Stefan Baumgart his job leaves the capital club just seven points clear of the relegation zone, with five rounds of fixtures remaining.
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