De Pauw targets top six finish as Aston Villa prepare for season opener against Chelsea
ROBERT DE PAUW jokes of enjoying being part of “a bald Dutch coaches union” working at the highest levels of football.
After a pre-season that saw Aston Villa beat Manchester City, fans of his side may have high hopes for their team in the WSL this term.
Tonight Villa embark on a new journey under their Netherlands-born manager four months after the departure of former boss Carla Ward.
One that will see them attempt to reproduce the form that led to their top four challenge before claiming fifth spot a year ago.
Like Chelsea chief Sonia Bompastor, De Pauw will be overseeing his first WSL game since taking charge of Villa in June.
And the coach who led FC Twente to a top-flight title win in the Netherlands’ top-flight two years ago, is content to be part of an influential contingent of Dutch coaches making their mark here.
The Villa chief said: “I made a joke already in an interview with Sky that I was a member of the Bald Dutch Coaches Union, because there are so many here.
“We have Arjan Veurink (England Women’s assistant) who was my boss at the KNVB (the Royal Dutch Football Association.
“Sarina (Wiegman) I know also from that period.
“Arne Slot looks like me. I only said hi to him once, but it’s funny.
“I saw some interviews of him, and it’s like the same processes that I have now, getting settled in, getting used to the environment, missing your family.
“Erik ten Hag is also here, so yeah, we’re quite a large group now.”
Before finishing seventh in the league last term, Aston Villa ended the season before in fifth place.
It was highest ever finish in the WSL since their promotion to the top tier in 2020.
Their pre-season this summer produced some positive outcomes with the team unbeaten in five friendlies.
A September 1 trip to Charlton resulted in a 2-2 draw with the promotion chasing Women’s Championship side.
A game that saw some experimentation with Villa’s attack.
Katie Robinson, Kirsty Hanson, Ebony Salmon started alongside Adriana Leon, before the second-half introduction of Kenza Dali, Jordan Nobbs and skipper Rachel Daly.
Other results included 1-0 wins against Liverpool and Spanish side Real Betis in August with forwards Leon and Salmon netting the winners in those games.
And a 3-1 warm-up defeat of Everton this month was followed claimed a 2-1 friendly victory against Manchester City with Lucy Staniforth netting following a Paula Tomas assist.
Along with Robinson, who joined Villa as a free agent in July, Spain left-back Tomas is among eight new summer signings with De Pauw strengthening his attacking, midfield and goalkeeper options.
Their new arrivals include Gabi Nunes, who like Tomas, joined the club from Spanish side Levante.
The Brazil forward, who helped her national side to win silver at the Paris Olympics, netted 11 goals in 28 top-flight appearances in Spain last season.
On how much the Villans now resemble a Robert de Pauw team, the Villa boss said: “We had a really good game against Everton.
“The things we’re trying to implement were there so clearly. It was a big relief for me.
“They’re understanding what we’re trying to do, and it’s coming across.
“And of course, it will not be perfect, but there were really the things that I would like to see.”
Following their promising resutls De Pauw is targeting a top-six finish in his first term at the helm.
He said: “Top six is what we have projected.
“If you look at the past season we were seventh and we want to do better than that. The season before we were fifth.
“It will not be easy, there is no guarantee but that is the challenge you want to face.”
Following her Villa arrival Robinson has high hopes for her future under de Pauw and what the team can achieve with their boss.
The Villans chief believes Robinson’s ambition matches those of the club and believes she can be a “difference maker for his side”.
Robinson, who left Albion in June after a four-year spell, said: “I had some really good conversations with the club and with Robert.
“I’m really excited to see what we can achieve.
“Robert has a great attitude and a big winning mentality and that’s really important to me.
“Hopefully where he can implement me in the squad can really bring the best out of me as a player.
“I want to contribute to the team as much as possible with goals and assists, I know I’ve got that in me.
“Ultimately, I want to develop as a player and this is best club for me to do that.”