Tomorrow will mark a year since Arsenal announced that Arsene Wenger would be leaving the club.
In a message marking his departure after 22 years, the Frenchman urged, “To all the Arsenal lovers take care of the values of the club.”
Unai Emery, who last night saw his side beat Napoli 1-0 to cap his 50th game in charge of the Gunners, maintains that he’s doing exactly that while injecting his own ‘energy’.
Asked whether he’s on track to achieve his aim for the season – qualifying for the Champions League – the Spaniard was quick to stress that he and his players are on a journey, one that his predecessor put in motion.
“Our achievements come with progress,” he said after the win in Italy. “This is a process with the players, the new coaches and new staff.
“I was respecting a lot before Arsene was done because he worked here for a long time, improving a lot and helping this club to become bigger.
“I’m here now to continue this process. It’s something different, with my personality, my ideas and stye, but above all I’ve kept a lot of positives that he worked here.
“After a new spirit and a new energy, I can give this club. But above all it’s a big responsibility with big ambition, because we want to play Champions league again, and we want to be closer to the possibility of taking a title.
“Also, with each match we can show our supporters our quality, work, spirit and energy, playing with intensity, aggressiveness and scoring a lot.
“Each match can give us a different situation we can enjoy with our supporters, playing and watching intense matches with a good result, but above all doing it in a good way.”
Emery also touched on why he’s happy with the way his first season is going, drawing attention to the respect he’s earned and the fact there’s a trophy still up for grabs.
“I want to win all the matches I play,” he said. “I want to be here with the possibility to win something important with Arsenal.
“I am happy but above all I am happy because there is a lot of respect from everybody to me and also I think we are in our process and improving, finishing the end of the season with two very clear objectives and it is in our hands to do something important.
“After really, my vision is only the moment, my expectation is the next match and looking to win it and enjoy it with our supporters at the Emirates.”
He’s only on a 2 year deal. Extension of we win UEL?
There is no rush to extend his deal this season. Especially since it would mean an increased salary.
What’s the rush? He’s happy and doing good work and also already has an option for another year in his current contract..apparently
Absolutely.
Long term contracts don’t really suit the needs of the business, things change so quickly that huge payoffs hurt.
Obviously you hope it doesn’t come to that
Yes, he’s got a two year contract, with a further year’s extension if agreed by both parties. Arsenal were very sensible here as it’s basically a “see how it goes” arrangement. We wanted to avoid Utd’s experience, post-Ferguson. This has cost them a small fortune in managerial compensation on several occasions since Sir Alex waved goodbye. Emery will be in a strong position to get an extension if we get a top 4 place, which is the top priority for the club. The fancy icing and pretty candles on the cake would be to win the Europa League, or even… Read more »
He’s got a two year contract with another year’s extension by mutual agreement. This is good business by Arsenal. They wanted to avoid a longer term initially because of Utd’s experiences with their managerial merry go round that has cost them a small fortune in compensation payments on several occasions. A top four finish is the club’s priority and should Emery achieve it I wouldn’t be surprised if Arsenal offered him an extension, finances allowing, in the Summer just in case he gets an offer from another club. That said, in the real world a contract wouldn’t prevent him leaving… Read more »
I am loving this man so far.
Good evening. He’s doing a great job. Best record of any Arsenal manager after 50 games.
*Good ebening, spellchecked your spellcheck for ya.
I don’t think we could have hoped for more? Well done Unai!
Gazidis picked the right chap.
I expect Arsene has a hidden hand in this as well.
Don’t think so, they’d have definitely given him some credit for it…!
Unai’s not mentioned Arsene much, which is probably to be expected, but I like that he sees himself as the current custodian of the club, trying to continue to move it forward. He’s seeing himself here longer term and wants to make his mark.
He’s done things right. There’s no need to take reference from Arsene. He needs to assess the squad independently without prejudice. There is time for the two men to talk in the summer and reflect on the first season. Plus critically (unlike the wholly inexperienced Arteta), he has not attempted to reinvent the wheel. He’s kept the team style attack minded flowing football Arsene has idealized. But he’s worked on deficiencies within the squad. And this is individually as well not just systemic. You see improvements in Granit for example who has been by far the more influential midfielder even… Read more »
Nailed it
You’re spot on Chris!
working with what he’s got i think he’s doing a decent job, now only if the ownership would inject some funds to grab some keys players for next season we might have a decent title shot
Yes, but it’s very unlikely that the owners will do that – why break the habit of a lifetime now? Emery can increase the funds available in the Summer (around £40 million or so according to reports) if he gets CL qualification and/or by selling players. There’s no guarantee, however, that he’ll be allowed to use all of the money raised this way though. I’ve a feeling that a fair chunk will be used to re-build the club’s cash reserve which has been depleted in recent years.
Apparently those other North London people have 150 million to spend. How come after they’ve spent a billion on their new ground.
+ The Ramsey transer fee he will have that to spend also i assume, so potentially a 100m spending pot for the sunmer!
The what now?
Should we tell him?
nah… ignorance is bliss
Aah this time a year before. I have a fantastic story to share with you all. Please bear with it. Exactly this time last year, I was in the final months of college, looking for work in India. I had been to numerous interviews, job fairs, placement agencies etc but would be unsuccessful in the final round. 2 days before this announcement from Arsene, I heard back from one of the largest companies in India for an interview. I thought this was it, but was heartbroken to find that it would have to be at the office halfway across the… Read more »
Amazing story, thanks for sharing!
Well done for getting the job! ? This is nowhere near as excellent as your story… But it makes me smile. I went to Dubai a few years ago, and wore an arsenal shirt on the plane. Passport control in Dubai can be fairly challenging at times. Several attempts to get retinal scans, superior looks from the officials, and taking as long as possible to check people through… But on this occasion, the chap looked up and his eyes started to sparkle. “Arsenal my friend!! My favourite team!!”, and we had an excellent chat about Theo Walcott. I don’t think… Read more »
He really has. GAZIDIS really left us with the best possible successor to Arsene. Where Arsene is the mad genius who (bc of his market acumen) builds fantastic machines at low prices but skims on certain parts (he is his own worse enemy) and doesn’t know exactly why the engine isn’t running right (refuses to tinker with his masterpiece), Emery is the master technician who comes into resolve every minor detail and get the engine purring to full effect. Of course how he can sustain the performance is now the issue. BUT Unai’s more interventionist approach away from Arsene’s laisez… Read more »
Why do you think Arteta would have “reinvented the wheel”? None of us really know what he’d be like as a manager, but he made some pretty Wenger-ish comments once about what his managerial style would be – saying he’d focus on flowing attacking football and would focus more on playing to his team’s strengths than tinkering for each opponent. I think appointing a coach with actual managerial experience to follow Wenger was the more sensible, less risky option. But let’s not write of Mikel as unsuitable for us, just because Emery is doing well at the moment. I quite… Read more »
Also, Arsene said he had no role in picking his successor (and Gazidis confirmed that).
Unlike Ferguson, Arsene was pushed out of the club. He wouldn’t be given a role in picking his own successor in those circumstances.
“I’m here now to continue this process. It’s something different, with my personality, my ideas and stye”
The evil eye?
He was taking a lot of unfair stick after the unbeaten run finished, we had a lot of injuries at the time, and Koscielny was working his way back after injury, so I don’t think the dip in form was that surprising.
I think our squad has a lot of average about it, if Emery gets us back in the top 4? Then he’s punched above his weight.
I really hope he’s given time and patience to work, because without a monster budget? I think it’s certain he’s going to need a few seasons to get us going.
Unfair stick is par for the course at the Arsenal.
Emery is an excellent coach. He is passionate about his job, that much is obvious.
Just went from 6 to midnight. This guy gets me excited. So keen to see how he plans on replacing Ramsey next season. Players like him dont really come around that often. Hes like our steven gerrard or Frank Lampard.
He’s done a very good job so far: we’re punching above our weight in the PL and we’ve got a great chance of winning the EL.
The problem is that we need some serious investment this summer if we are to push on and challenge City and Liverpool. I doubt that our wonderful owner will cough up the cash.
Maybe Emery won’t want to stay.
Why are we punching above our weight? Because the media say so? Man for man we’re at the same level as spurs, United and Chelsea in my opinion.
Bollocks. The other Top-six clubs all have better squads than we do.
Ah…squads…that’s a different thing to team. Our best team is definitely better than Spurs…especially if Kane plays lol
I’d give Emery an 8 out of 10 regardless of how the season ends. When you look at the trouble United have had replacing Ferguson I think it’s fair to say that Arsenal have handled Wengers departure much more smoothly so kudos to his selectors for that. It’s good to have a coach there who seems to work hard on the tactical side of things and we still play some eye pleasing stuff when we’re in the groove. All in all he seems to me to be the right man for the job. As Fatgooner points out, all he needs… Read more »
He’s performed extremely well. Very happy. So nice to have a coach who focuses on the detail and only talks about football, rather than Wenger’s pretentious “I see myself as a custodian of the beauty in mankind” bullshit.
Reminds me of the lyrics of one of my favorite Radiohead songs, “Only the Moment,” an obscure B-side from the late 90s: It’s something different with my personality my ideas and style but above all I’ve kept the positives a new spirit and a new energy I can give but above all, it’s a big responsibility big ambition, to be closer to possibility we show our quality our work, our spirit, our energy, each time give us a different situation we can enjoy intensity with a good result but above all, in a good way I want to win everything… Read more »
Would love to the under 21s more…great talent..great skill in waiting..