Moments after Mikel Arteta put down a pen for his new contract, upstairs in the director’s box at the Emirates Stadium, the boss returned to the locker room to talk to Arsenal Media about his plans for the future.
He spoke about his joy at signing the contract, about his journey so far, about the growing unity in the club and about his long-term goals.
Read for a full transcript of the interview.
At the signing of the contract … I am really excited, grateful and really, really happy today.
From how impressed he is with Jonas Eideval … A lot, I think when you get to know him, you get an idea of the human being there. Obviously, what he does with the team, the way the team plays, what they achieve, it’s just phenomenal what he does, so I’m also happy for him that we will continue our journey together.
About what they were talking about … Yes, about football, about the locker room, because obviously they are playing a few games now in the Emirates and the meaning of the wording and the meaning of it, so it’s really interesting to talk to the coaches all the time.
About his relationship with the board and ownership … Probably the way I would define it would be empathy, the same purpose and trust. Sympathy, because the moment I met Josh [Kroenke], from the first meeting I got a real feeling that the energy is flowing. We were really clear and direct. He showed the same ambition as me. He could see the club at the same time and he wanted to take the club the way I wanted to do it. So everything he said and what Stan said when I was with the two of them, they always did it. I think it was a relationship that was exactly the same in both ways, so I’m very happy with them, with what they do, with their participation, with the commitment they show and the relationship we’ve built together. With myself, with Ed, with Rich, with Tim Lewis, with Vinay. This is really, really important, because this connection and this communication must be there at all times, because this is a moving thing and they are extremely important to him.
About the time of the announcement … The club really wanted to do it as soon as possible. Obviously, they showed a lot of faith and faith in what we are doing, with the coaching staff, what is the direction of the team and they thought that the best time is to do it right now, to give the team a final boost, to give some clarity to do in the summer, in the future. It’s a way of saying, “Listen, we both believe in what we’re doing and we want to get involved in this project together.” And that’s where I want to be, so it was a really easy decision for me.
About what he has achieved so far … My main goal was to set and instill values and respect for how everyone will represent this football club and how everyone will defend this football club. And how we will pass it on to our people. The second is to have a clear identity. How we will play, who we want to be and how we will do it. I think this is already very clearly defined and supported by everyone. This led to the unity we now have around the club, with our fans and then the success on the field will be predetermined. In two and a half seasons we managed to deliver two trophies, but we have everything to strive for. But these things for me were the foundation for building what we build.
For the ambitions in the short and long term … To take the club to the next level and to really compete with top teams. To do that, we have to play in the Champions League. We need to be able to develop the team, to improve our players, to improve all the departments, to generate even more connection with our fans, to improve the atmosphere in the Emirates, to be able to recruit the best, the best talents and the best people for this club to manage this project to this level.
How important will the fans be on this trip? For me, they were the tsunami of this project. We haven’t had them in two seasons, so with the way I want the team to play, with the balance we’ve established, and I want people to lead the club the way I believe we should. It was impossible to do without them. So from the moment we had them close to us, they felt and felt this energy and this way to present the club on a much deeper level. Then the feeling of belonging to the fans becomes natural and that’s why I think everything clicked to go and present ourselves at the level we are doing now.
About whether he sees the benefits of this in the players … Absolutely in terms of confidence, faith, being happy to represent this football club. My biggest goal, all the time listening to Arsenal fans talk about the club, about personalities, about the staff, about the owner. I said if we can really feel a sense of belonging and pride for the club and say good things about each other, about the player, about how the team plays, about the owner, about the board, about the decisions we make about recruiting; we have no borders. But if what we do is the complete opposite, then the potential can be really high or it can be really low and now I hear people talking well about things and I’ve always said here, say good things about each other because it brings different energy and vibration around the place and can you quantify it? No. The level of trust between you and me, what is it? I don’t know, I can’t give him a number, but I can feel it and I can feel it, and if I feel that you believe me and I believe you, our relationship will be much better.
Feeling at home at Arsenal… I experienced it when I was in this locker room and I felt like I didn’t really feel part of it or I was in this locker room and I said wow, I would kill for these guys and I like to spend time with them and we finish the game at 10 o’clock and I can’t wait to have dinner with them until 10.30 and see them the next morning and have that feeling. And it’s completely different, the way you come to the building, the way you come and defend yourself on the field is very different and that’s what we’re trying to build.
To his behind-the-scenes staff … They will continue with me and I am extremely proud and grateful for what they do for the club, all the support they give me and they constantly challenge me and make me a better coach and a better person, so Mikel alone, he could do nothing. I am clearer than water because you need the best people and the best professionals around you to do what you want to achieve.
About whether he is ready for the challenge … Absolutely. When you think things can’t turn around because you’re in a negative moment for a day, everything changes. And when you think you have everything in the right place, poof, it falls apart. So this job is for the next minute. Can I think of something that will have an effect this afternoon and tomorrow morning and after the match and during the match. And it’s a constant thing, and it’s a really exciting thing. And everyone in the club should think so.
To enjoy the management… I can enjoy the process and the trip, because I enjoy doing it with the people we have in the football club and that is the most important thing for me. When you have empathy, when you have trust, when you have a real relationship with people, then it’s worth it. You know, difficult moments turn into great memories, and successful moments become, well, the ultimate goal or the goal you have to achieve. And that’s the way I look at it. And you have to prepare in this profession for that, because everything will not be linear and up, it doesn’t happen.
His favorite part of the job … The relationship with people. I love coaching. I’m so passionate and you know it, but if I have to say one thing, it’s the personal connection with people. To have someone there who feels complete, as well as on the same level as me, for what we do and the way we participate and the way you can improve his life and the way you can improve your place and career of the player, and their achievements and what they will do in the future. This is the most powerful thing for me. And adding to that, when you have fans who have an incredible amount of emotion towards the club, you can make them happy. Then these are the excesses of your profession.
Continuing with the momentum … I am convinced that the team will make real progress. And here again on Sunday against our people, we will really do it. We are in a really good position right now. We fought so hard to be in this position and in it, all on board with this huge ball of energy on Sunday at our stadium to beat Leeds again.
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