Union Berlin rule out Marie-Louise Eta permanent appointment: ‘A disservice to women’s football’

Union Berlin rule out Marie-Louise Eta permanent appointment: ‘A disservice to women’s football’

Union Berlin president Dirk Zingler says Marie-Louise Eta will not coach the men’s team beyond the remaining league games this season, regardless of results.

Eta, the first woman to be named head coach of a men’s club in one of Europe’s top five leagues, is in charge of Union Berlin’s men’s side until the end of the season before taking over the club’s women’s team in the summer.

Zingler said changing the 34-year-old’s commitment to the women’s team if she is successful during her five games with the men’s side would be a “disservice” to women’s football.

“Two weeks ago, Marie-Louise Eta signed a contract for the Women’s Bundesliga with great conviction, and we both did so with great conviction,” Union’s president told Sky Sport Germany.

“If she’s really good, she’ll stay with the men; if she’s not so good, she’ll go to the women — I’m not even having that discussion. It’s always a professional, fact-based decision who coaches which team, and to associate her with this discussion would do her, and women’s football as a whole, a disservice.

“Marie-Louise Eta will be in charge here for five games, and after that she will take over the women’s team.”

Eta was appointed Union head coach on Saturday following the dismissal of Steffen Baumgart, who was sacked after a 3-1 loss to bottom club Heidenheim. Saturday’s Bundesliga fixture between Union and Wolfsburg is her first game in charge.

The former Germany youth international stepped up from her role as Union’s under-19 coach to take the job. She previously took charge of the Union first team in the Bundesliga in 2024, when standing in for the suspended Nenad Bjelica.