ARSENAL defender Steph Catley has hinted she wants Renee Slegers to be handed the manager’s job on a permanent basis after hailing the club’s interim boss for “steadying the ship” and fuelling the squad with confidence.

Slegers has overseen a 10-match unbeaten streak since she was handed the temporary reins following Jonas Eidevall’s departure in October.

The Gunners, fresh from a 1-0 win at Liverpool, are third in the Women’s Super League and hold a strong position in their Champions League group, having already secured their place in the quarter-finals.

Asked if she would like Slegers to remain in charge, Australia international Catley said: “That’s not up to us, unfortunately. But yes, as a team, obviously we’re very happy right now.

“We’re getting results. There’s a good vibe around the team. I’ve not been knocking on doors, but maybe [captain] Kim [Little] can do that.

“Obviously, the results are important, but the way that we’re playing football and the way that we’re building as a team is also really important.

“Renee is our leader. She came in under difficult circumstances and really steadied the ship. She’s given a lot of individual players the confidence to play how they want and to go out and do their thing. She brings a lot of positive energy and is a really good communicator. She has been incredible.”

Arsenal were thrashed 5-2 by Bayern in October – a defeat which proved to be Eidevall’s penultimate match in charge.

But the Gunners have won four in a row in Europe since then – including victories home and away against Juventus without conceding a goal – to leave them just one point off top spot.

Reflecting on the loss in Germany, Catley continued: “That game was a big wake-up call for us. We’re a proud team. We want to score goals, but we also want to keep clean sheets.

“So that was way too many goals conceded, and just a poor performance from us.”