Lucy Zelic criticizes ‘appalling’ clash between Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall – and explains why she supports the man’s perspective

Lucy Zelic has waded into the huge row between Emma Hayes and Jonas Eidevall, with the SBS broadcaster insisting the female manager was wrong to shove her male rival.  

Chelsea’s boss, 47, pushed her Arsenal counterpart, 41, after his team’s 1-0 win at Molineux and later blasted his ‘male aggression’, insisting the nudge was her standing up for her players – not sour grapes

The row was sparked following a disagreement over a late throw-in, with Chelsea attempting to use a new ball but Eidevall had pointed out that the game was not being played with a multi-ball system, meaning they had to collect the original ball that had gone out of play. 

When Eidevall went to shake Hayes’ hand at the full-time whistle, the Chelsea manager could be seen pointing at her counterpart before giving him a shove.

Hayes attributed her actions as a response to ‘male aggression’, leaving Eidevall flabbergasted, and the incident has sparked huge debate on social media.

The SBS broadcaster sided with Arsenal’s male manager following the incident

SBS broadcaster and football presenter Zelic has had her say, siding with Eidevall following the episode in the west midlands.

‘Appalling behaviour from Hayes here,’ she said on X, formerly known as Twitter. 

‘The FA should give her a retrospective ban, without question. 

‘If the roles were reversed and Eidevall pushed her, the headlines would be vastly different. 

‘We can’t preach from one hymn book and walk to the beat of a totally different drum.’

Hayes said she hoped she would speak with Eidevall when things had calmed down.

‘I think there’s a way to conduct yourself on the touchline, I really do,’ Hayes said.

‘I think it’s absolutely essential that we role model in the right way. I’m not down for male aggression on the touch line.

‘I’m really not, and fronting up to players, for me, that’s unacceptable. I’m disappointed and I told Jonas that.

Hayes shoved the Arsenal manager following a feisty clash at Molineux over the weekend 

Hayes attributed her behaviour as a reaction to ‘male aggression’

‘I don’t think it’s OK to behave like that. He got a yellow card and he should have probably been sent off.

‘I’m all for competing to win, I’ve never been booked in 12 years, my time here, I totally accept he’s a winner and wants to win but his behaviour on the touchline wasn’t acceptable.

‘The way he fronted up to Erin I didn’t think was acceptable.

‘I was clear with him, I did not think it was acceptable. It’s not the first time he’s been told about his behaviour on the touchline. I want to say congratulations to Arsenal. They’ve won and I don’t want the talking point to be about that.’

When Eidevall was told Hayes had used the words ‘male aggression’ to describe his behaviour, the Arsenal boss responded by saying: ‘I think that’s a very irresponsible way of labelling the behaviour that I had. I don’t think it’s the truth.

‘I definitely don’t see me as aggressive in that situation, I think that’s very irresponsible putting that label onto it’.