Former professional footballer Natalia Arroyo has taken on an unexpected challenge as the manager of Aston Villa Women's Football Club, having never held such a role before. The 22-year-old Spaniard's playing career was ended by another ACL injury, prompting her to turn to coaching and eventually making the leap into top-level management.
As a former Barcelona player who rose through the ranks from the youth team, Arroyo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role. She credits her time as a journalist for helping her develop essential skills in observing games, reading players, and building teams.
Arroyo's transition into coaching was not without its challenges, however. Real Sociedad, where she eventually became manager, were patient with her development, giving her the space to learn and grow. Her first season was marked by a mix of highs and lows, but she persevered, instilling a sense of trust and confidence in her players.
When the opportunity arose to take on Villa, Arroyo's experience as a journalist proved invaluable. She brought a fresh perspective to the role, using her skills to observe games and analyze team performances. Her mantra of "let's try" echoed throughout her tenure, as she encouraged her players to own their processes and trust in the system.
While results were not immediate, Arroyo's team eventually found form, producing a stunning run of five straight WSL wins that propelled them to sixth place in the league. The coach is proud of the culture she has built at Villa, which extends beyond results, with a focus on consistency and competitiveness.
Despite her success, Arroyo acknowledges that management is not without its challenges. She faces the reality of losing games, but remains committed to the process, trusting that her players will eventually believe in it too. As she looks to build on this season's progress, one thing is clear: Natalia Arroyo is a force to be reckoned with in English women's football management.
As a former Barcelona player who rose through the ranks from the youth team, Arroyo brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the role. She credits her time as a journalist for helping her develop essential skills in observing games, reading players, and building teams.
Arroyo's transition into coaching was not without its challenges, however. Real Sociedad, where she eventually became manager, were patient with her development, giving her the space to learn and grow. Her first season was marked by a mix of highs and lows, but she persevered, instilling a sense of trust and confidence in her players.
When the opportunity arose to take on Villa, Arroyo's experience as a journalist proved invaluable. She brought a fresh perspective to the role, using her skills to observe games and analyze team performances. Her mantra of "let's try" echoed throughout her tenure, as she encouraged her players to own their processes and trust in the system.
While results were not immediate, Arroyo's team eventually found form, producing a stunning run of five straight WSL wins that propelled them to sixth place in the league. The coach is proud of the culture she has built at Villa, which extends beyond results, with a focus on consistency and competitiveness.
Despite her success, Arroyo acknowledges that management is not without its challenges. She faces the reality of losing games, but remains committed to the process, trusting that her players will eventually believe in it too. As she looks to build on this season's progress, one thing is clear: Natalia Arroyo is a force to be reckoned with in English women's football management.
! 22 and already a top-level manager? that's insane lol 
. i mean, i've seen some young players make it big in the past but coaching is like, next level. and she came from journalism? that's genius 
. i love how she's all about instilling trust and confidence in her team - it's so inspiring 
. of course, there were challenges along the way, but she persevered and now look at her! villa's on fire 
. i'm excited to see what the future holds for this talented young coach 
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think that's amazing given all the odds against her! What I love most about this story though, is how she's built that culture of trust and confidence with her team 
Arroyo's approach may be "let's try" but I reckon that's exactly the kind of attitude we need in football.
! She's really shown that even without having traditional managerial experience, she's still got it when it comes to building a winning culture and getting her players to believe in the system. I think her background as a journalist is actually a big strength - she's got this fresh perspective on the game that helps her spot areas for improvement. And that "let's try" attitude? Iconic 
. It just goes to show that you don't have to be born into a particular role to succeed, which is exactly what we need more of - opportunities for people from all walks of life to take on new challenges.
. That's leadership right there! It just goes to show that sometimes you have to trust in someone's abilities and give them the space to grow, rather than expecting immediate results. I think this is exactly what we need more of in politics - leaders who are willing to take risks and trust in their team's abilities.
. Her journey from journalist to manager to league-winning coach is proof that you don't need to be a "traditional" coach to make it work - her experience in the media was actually a huge asset! 
I'm loving her attitude too, "let's try" is such a refreshing mantra 
. Can we talk about how underrated Arroyo is? She's clearly got the skills and the passion to compete with anyone in this league 
But seriously, Arroyo's got skills, no doubt about it. The fact that she was able to turn her journalism experience into a coaching role is pretty cool. But what I'm curious about is how much of this is really about empowerment and equality vs. just using them as a PR tool for the clubs... 
Can you imagine if all new coaches were "patient" like Real Sociedad? We'd just have an endless loop of "trying" and never actually winning anything 
. But seriously, Natalia Arroyo seems like a breath of fresh air - her journalism experience is super underrated, imo 
Her experience as a journalist actually came in handy, like, super useful!!! She brought this fresh perspective 2 the game & her "let's try" attitude is everything 
Arroyo's got the magic & I'm low-key rooting 4 her 2 take over the whole league 
. It raises questions about the value we place on our athletes' careers and whether they have the right to choose when to retire.
Is this a level playing field or is the system rigged against smaller clubs?
! Arroyo's "let's try" mentality is inspiring too - its not always about winning, but about the team believing in themselves and their process. Overall, I think she's a great role model for aspiring female coaches and players 
. I'm loving the 'let's try' mentality too, it's all about believing in yourself and the team. She's definitely one to watch out for in the future