On Friday, Mikel Arteta once again met with the media at the Sobha Realty Training Centre to answer journalists’ questions ahead of the match against Leeds United. The head coach was asked about the investigation involving Manchester City, his new contract with Arsenal, the upcoming visit of Leeds and much more.
– On the investigation involving Manchester City:
“I fully understand the question, but obviously I think it is very important to respect the process and the established timelines. The process is still ongoing, and there is no final decision because an appeal has been lodged. My position, and the club’s position, is that we will make no further comments until the process has been fully concluded.”
– On how the media noise could affect Manchester City:
“I don’t know. That is not something we can control. What we can control is how we have prepared since all the players returned from their national teams, so that we are in the best possible shape for tomorrow’s game, outperform Leeds and win. That is where our focus lies.”
– On his new contract:
“It is an enormous honour for me. My family and I are very grateful for the opportunity to continue this incredible journey, which began almost seven years ago. What I enjoyed was not so much the outcome of the negotiations – when there are two parties and you need to find a solution, I said from the very beginning that both the club and I wanted the same thing – but rather the way everything was organised. I think that is really important.”
“I always say that when you are negotiating and trying to determine the path ahead, the most important moment comes right at the end. When you are ready to sign the contract, you look around at everyone in the room and see the smiles and genuine excitement in their eyes. That is what I saw first and foremost from Stan and Josh, but also from Rich, James, Andrea, the club staff and the players. That is it. Every single day, I have to earn the right to remain at this level, occupy this position and make the most of the opportunity I have been given.”
– On building a dynasty:
“That is something you have to earn every single day. We understand the level we are at right now, and we know our standards and expectations. But the most wonderful thing is that there is even more enthusiasm, passion and energy. That is what we want to achieve together. And now we have that opportunity ahead of us.”
– On whether bringing the club together is his greatest achievement:
“Yes, especially when you consider how we have achieved it together and how everyone now feels part of something truly united. The club has developed a clear identity, ambition and understanding of the direction we want to take. I think that is extremely important as well.”
– On whether he could remain in the job for another 20 years:
“I live in the present and hope for tomorrow. That is how you have to approach this job. The most important thing is to enjoy the journey, and that is probably the biggest lesson I have learned over the last seven years. The greatest gift throughout this time has been the people around me: they have made me feel loved and allowed me to enjoy what I do.”
– On Declan Rice’s physical condition:
“We need to manage his workload carefully because he has had a few issues since returning from the World Cup. We also know how many matches he has played over the last three years. It was a sensible decision. Hopefully, he will be available tomorrow, but there are other players whose involvement is also in doubt.”
– On the injuries to Kai Havertz, Ezri Konsa and Christos Tzolis:
“Kai has a muscular injury, so I spoke to Jürgen [Klopp], and they sent the player back straight away, as usually happens. Ezri also had certain issues, and we had good communication with the England national team staff about that. Tzolis has a muscular injury that will keep him out for several weeks. He is not ready to play yet.”
– On the availability of Piero Hincapié and Cristhian Mosquera:
“Both are ready to play. They did an incredible amount of work to try to be fit for the Brighton game, but in the end we decided not to put them on the pitch, especially considering how we had to play in the closing minutes of that match. Both are ready now. Ben White is also available.”
– On the biggest lesson he has learned about himself over the last seven years:
“I think we put a lot of emphasis on what we need to do and how we can help transform the football club and bring our vision and ideas to life. But the reality is that, throughout this period, significant personal changes are also necessary to achieve the desired outcome. Perhaps that is one of the most fascinating aspects of the whole process. You cannot go through this journey alone – you need other people alongside you. And I have been incredibly fortunate to have those people around me.”
– On what he would tell himself in 2019:
“Go for it! Don’t even hesitate. But being afraid of the unknown is natural. You are doing it for the first time, and an enormous responsibility is being placed on your shoulders. You never know what lies ahead. But if you feel you are doing the right thing, if you understand that your goals and the reasons behind your actions really matter, then the risk is worth taking. You have to move forward.”
– On the defeat against Brighton:
“The pain is still there, somewhere deep inside, in my stomach, and tomorrow we absolutely have to take that feeling onto the pitch. That match was a lesson for us, and there is a lot we need to learn from it. If you fail to meet certain basic requirements in football, especially against a very strong opponent, you can become almost unrecognisable as a team. That happens.”
“But the most important thing for us is to understand who we are and how fine the line is between an exceptional performance and very mediocre football. That is the reality. At the same time, it is important to recognise that, given the circumstances and the demanding international schedule, what we achieved in the first eight weeks was truly impressive. However, we need to be extremely careful because things can change very quickly.”
– On whether he is surprised by Leeds’ start to the season:
“Not when I watch them play. I think they fully deserve their position because they have earned it. They have shown a lot of quality in their matches and, on many occasions, have genuinely been better than their opponents. We know what they are capable of. We have discussed this in detail with the players over the last two days, and we are fully prepared for the game ahead.”
– On the early 12:30 kick-off:
“12:30 is a great time. We haven’t played football for three weeks! I don’t care that there were international matches during that time and no club football. We are playing at the Emirates, in front of our supporters. The atmosphere we have created here over the last few months has been incredible. We need to get it going from the very beginning and set the right tone. I am sure our supporters are hugely excited about seeing the team back on the pitch.”
– On his message to the fans:
“My message is very clear: after what happened in Brighton, we are still feeling the pain. And now it is our job to help our supporters deal with the disappointment they are feeling too. That is our responsibility, and we need to repay them on the pitch.”
– On how he has settled into the role of Arsenal head coach:
“There have been different stages and different moments. I think I have always been driven by passion and love for this club, as well as by the dream of becoming a coach and a head coach. This club immediately gave me the opportunity to work at the highest level, and I was ready to do everything possible to succeed. I think I had the right people around me, helping to compensate for my shortcomings, fill gaps in my knowledge, improve, help the players and the club get better every day, and build the right culture, identity and ambition.”
– On how to keep Max Dowman grounded:
“I think it is a shared responsibility. First and foremost, his parents, because they spend the most time with him and have already raised him into the person we see today. Then it is the responsibility of everyone who works alongside him. But honestly, Max has not given us much reason to worry so far. He wants to play football as well as he possibly can and perform at the highest level. That is where all his attention is focused.”
– On whether the investigation has now overshadowed his time at Manchester City:
“I understand where that question comes from. There is certainly a lot of noise surrounding this issue. But the process is still ongoing, and there is no final decision. I think we have to respect that process, and I certainly have a responsibility to do so as well.”
– On whether he has discussed the situation with his players:
“That is not something we can control. The only thing we can do is focus on everything within our power to become as strong as possible and outperform every opponent. That is where we are directing our energy.”
– On how important it is for the investigation to be concluded this season:
“There are people responsible for handling this process who need to reach the right conclusions. I am sure everything will be done and resolved properly. We need to trust the process.”
– On what was discussed during negotiations over his new contract:
“We talked about how we feel about each other. We analysed what we have achieved together and, above all, discussed how to make this club the best in the world for many years to come by making the most of our opportunities and strengths. At a certain point, you simply begin to feel how you relate to each other and how you work together.”
“I am very fortunate to be able to sit across from Stan and Josh, talk to them and hear what they want to achieve and how they intend to do it. The way they talk about it is particularly inspiring. We also discussed matters relating to me personally, the coaching staff, how we treat the people around us and what each party brings to the table. We are completely aligned in our thinking.”
“That is why, after several months of discussions, exchanging ideas and considering what the best decision would be and how long it should last, seeing that everyone was happy really moved me. I was incredibly happy, and so was my family – and that is the most important thing. But the club staff, the people around us, the players and the board were just as delighted. All of that matters enormously, not just the final outcome of the negotiations.”
– On why he believes Arsenal can establish long-term dominance:
“That is exactly what we want to achieve. That is our ambition, and I don’t think we need to hide it. The most important thing is to work towards that goal every single day. In football, our aspirations and dreams have to remain big.”
“I think achieving them is easier than it might seem. If I told you what I dreamed of when I first arrived here, you would probably ask me: ‘What on earth are you talking about?’ But that is what ambition is all about, and that is what drives you forward. We believe we can achieve what we set out to do. Of course, there are many factors that can help us or stand in our way. Time will tell, but we certainly have the determination to reach that goal.”
– On whether he feels relieved that last season’s title was won on the pitch rather than as a result of the investigation:
“I feel enormous pride and deep emotion, especially when I remember exactly how we achieved it and what we had to go through to reach our goal. It is a unique and completely genuine feeling, one that comes from the way we accomplished everything.”
– On whether he had any doubts when signing his new contract:
“Sometimes you have to stop and think about how much longer you can keep doing this. And it is not just about working here – it is also a question you have to ask yourself. Do you still have the desire, the energy and the right people around you? How do they look at you when you speak? I felt that the answer was yes, that all of those things were there. If my feelings ever change, we will look each other in the eye and deal with it. It is that simple.”
– On whether the Premier League has been damaged by this situation:
“Here again, we are dealing with an investigation that has not yet been concluded. It is still ongoing, and we will have a much clearer picture of the situation once a decision has been reached. I am not prepared to comment at this stage.”
– On whether he thinks he might want to take a break one day:
“A break? Stop doing what I do? I am not even thinking about that right now because I absolutely love my job. I wake up every morning full of energy. A lot of people tell me: ‘Mikel, you need to rest sometimes.’ But honestly, I do sometimes take a break during the day, then I come back to work, start doing something else and feel my energy levels rising because I love what I do.”
“What if we try this? What if we take a different route? That is the beauty of doing something you don’t see as work, but as your true passion. That is why I feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to do what I do.”
– On whether he could remain a head coach for another 10–15 years:
“I don’t know. I think I am still very young, and this is my first experience of this kind. That is probably how I see my profession.”
“This week we have talked a lot about pressure and stress. I understand what people mean, but I don’t associate my work with those terms. I have experienced all kinds of moments, but for me, it is first and foremost about passion and love for the game, for what I do, as well as ambition, drive and dreams. If you want to call it something else, that is fine. For me, it is simply a privilege to do what I love every day.”
“If one day I stop enjoying it, I will make the decision myself and say: ‘Right, I no longer enjoy what I am doing. It is time to stop.’”
– On whether he considers the Premier League the best league in the world:
“One hundred per cent.”
– On the importance of strict financial rules in the Premier League:
“I have already answered that question. In my opinion, it is the best league in the world for many reasons, including the fact that I have been here for more than 20 years. It will continue to be the best league in the world.”
“I feel privileged to have the opportunity to work here. At the same time, there are other clubs that manage their resources exceptionally well and efficiently. That is a good thing because it has made the competition even tougher. We saw that just a few weeks ago.”
– On what he learned from the match against Brighton:
“Two things. First, everything related to the game itself, which I have already spoken about. Second, I was reminded once again of how good our players are. Watching them travel all over the world, play for their national teams and have an incredible impact on those teams gave me confidence. And when they return, they have big smiles on their faces. They feel at home, they enjoy coming back here, and that is wonderful.”
– On the fitness of Max Dowman, Kai Havertz and Ezri Konsa:
“Max is ready to play. We will see about Ezri and Kai tomorrow.”
– On whether the media noise surrounding Manchester City could work in our favour:
“We are only interested in our own game, what we do and what we want to achieve. That is it. Everything else is beyond our control. We have never been able to control these things, and we are not going to try to do so. That is the beauty of our job. Ultimately, a lot depends on us, and that is what we want to focus on.”
– On whether he has spoken to Pep Guardiola:
“We will talk about that in relation to another situation that is happening right now. I would prefer not to answer those questions.”
– On how he assesses his own evolution over the last seven years:
“Transforming a football club and the group of people who work there inevitably involves personal changes at every level. You start doing things you have never done before, move with your family, and begin building and creating something you genuinely believe in and hope will bring joy to many people.”
“Then difficult times come along the way. You have to get back up, lead people who are united by a common goal and experience incredible moments together. All of this shapes you as a person – it is inevitable. For me, this process has been one of the greatest gifts I have received on my journey.”
“I want to experience many more changes and stages of development like these because that is exactly why we are here: to keep learning, remain curious and help people enjoy this incredible game.”
– On how the players and club staff inspire him:
“I have always loved that. Especially when you have to overcome difficulties and lead people. I think that is the most beautiful thing about our job: bringing people along on this journey, helping them feel part of something bigger, giving them a clear purpose and then going through different stages together.”
“Step by step, chapter by chapter, we move closer to our goals, and then we start all over again, reinvent ourselves and move forward. There is another challenge too: how the game itself is evolving and how we need to change alongside it. Can we stay ahead of its development? It is a constant challenge, especially given the level of coaches and teams competing in our league. That challenge will never go away. And that means we will never be able to stand still.”
Source: arsenal.com
Author: MissingHenry
