Sue Smith is confident that close friend Casey Stoney will make a triumphant return to the WSL as a manager.
Stoney is currently out of work following her dismissal from her post at San Diego Wave in June, having previously managed Manchester United for three years.
Somewhat surprisingly, Stoney’s former club Arsenal are said to not be considering her for the vacant manager position but Smith insists she would be a good successor to Jonas Eidevall.
“She’s tactically very, very good, she understands the game so well, so I think her in-game management would be very good,” said Smith.
“I think the way she sets her team up would be exciting for fans to watch. She’s a defender by trade so the team would be very organised on and off the ball and I just think she’ll get the best out of the players.
“She’s been a player, she knows what’s expected, she’s the ultimate professional and she will make sure the minimum requirement is that everyone gives 100 percent to the cause. If she is appointed, I think she’ll be a fantastic manager.”
There is a school of thought that Arsenal would move for Stoney due to the parallels with current men’s manager Mikel Arteta.
Both Arteta and Stoney are former players who enjoyed success at the club and hold an intrinsic understanding of the club ethos and expected standards.
Smith believes that ex-player connection can be a powerful tool for uniting the fan base and motivating the players.
“Because she’s been the elite player, whether it’s been as an England captain, at Arsenal or at Chelsea, she knows what it takes,” said Smith.
“So to go in as a manager and just portray those experiences, I think that’s bound to help. I think she’d be a good fit but also a good fit for any role. It’s great to see an English coach, player, female be really successful and it would be great to see her get an opportunity.
“It’s obviously worked for Arsenal with Arteta, he had a difficult spell to begin with but they stuck with him and look at what he is doing now. If Arsenal were going to do something similar with their women, Casey would certainly be a good fit.”
Smith played with Stoney at Lincoln and the England national side and believes the former defender has the right temperament to succeed as a manager.
“As a player she was the ultimate professional,” added Smith. “I liked to have a bit of a joke and a laugh whereas she was always thinking about what she had to do. Outside of that she was a great character with a big personality.
“She’s experienced different managers throughout her career and she’ll take little bits from the great managers she has worked with.”
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