Arsenal’s new manager Laura Harvey faces the biggest test of her coaching career writes TONY LEIGHTON, as the Gunners prepare to face Uefa Cup holders FCR 2001 Duisburg in the quarter-finals of the Women’s Champions League.
Wednesday evening’s first leg in Germany will be only the third match in which former Birmingham City boss Harvey has been in charge following her appointment in the wake of previous manager Tony Gervaise’s departure from his first team role.
But Harvey, who is Gervaise’s second in command at the Arsenal Academy and also Mo Marley’s assistant coach in the England Under-19 set-up, is unfazed by the prospect of being thrown into the deep end that is Champions League football.
(Laura, left, gives advice to Gemma Davison. www.tgsphoto.co.uk)
“When I was at Birmingham,” said Harvey, “the biggest challenge was coming up against Arsenal. Now I’m preparing Arsenal to play one of the best teams in Europe and yes, it’s a massive challenge – but it’s an exciting challenge that I’m relishing.
“Through my international experience I know several of the Duisburg players and I’ve managed to get some video footage of them in action.
“So we won’t be going into the tie blind. I’ve set a tactical plan, the girls believe in what we’re doing and we’re going to give it everything we’ve got.”
Harvey may be new to the manager’s position at Arsenal, but she knows the set-up well having been part of the coaching team in last year’s swansong season of long-standing manager Vic Akers.
And though the Gunners have lost four key players to the USA’s Women’s Professional League in the last 12 months as well as seeing Akers retire, Harvey is confident that they will be up to the difficult task of facing the German champions.
She said: “The girls have had a tough time with players leaving and changes of management, but they are mentally strong and they’re ready for this match.
“Duisburg will be seen as favourites, but that takes the pressure off us. We’ll go to their place aiming to contain them and not concede any goals. 
“If we get an away goal or two, great – but the first aim will be to not concede because we’ve got to still be in the tie at the end of the first leg
“If we do that it will give us a building block for the second leg and give us the best possible chance of going through.”
The tie’s second leg is set to take place on Sunday afternoon at Bishops Stortford FC.
Inka Grings, left, collects her Algarve Cup 2010, Player of the Tournament award (C A Aldis). She is Duisburg's main goal threat. Miss our interview with her? Check it out here: http://www.shekicks.net/flog/interviews/post/3
