We all know that football fans get excited about transfers, looking for every possible scrap of information we might find about a potential new arrival.
Perhaps not talked about much is how those involved in the game view it, and Mikel Arteta certainly sounds like it’s something he enjoys as he dreams about players who might improve his squad.
As a manager he’s under pressure to win games, and understands that higher quality players will help him do that. In short, as much as he keeps his cards close to his chest about players who might come or go, he’s as hopeful of getting shiny new midfielder to play with as we are.
Speaking ahead of the visit of Sheffield United to the Emirates on Sunday, Arteta made it clear he’s not blind to the possibilities the transfer window can bring.
“I think it’s very exciting because in the end, they’re the tools that you have to be able to do your job in the best possible way,” he said of new signings.
“And you can dream about players that you can bring in as well. You can dream how you can develop the ones or change certain positions to play, to fit in what you want to do.
“I think it’s a big part of the industry. At the end of the day, these walls and the stadium and the training is great.
“But in the end, it’s about the people we have, the staff that we have, and the players that we have to manage daily basics.
“I enjoy it.”
The flip side of that is having to deal with squad members who might be on the move, some of them when they might not want to go, and that can cause some uncertainty.
“Yeah, I do understand because I’ve been in that position and you can try to be very focused, but then you leave the training ground and you get a phone call from the agent, a phone call for another manager, a phone call from another owner, your head is spinning,” he said.
“You have a family, you think about moving to different country, different cities. All these is part of your daily life.
“But I just asked them that when you guys are here, try to be focused, committed, and represent and defend our football club as good as possible.
“We have a very good communication with the players and with the agents to tell them exactly what the plans are.
“Because some days, it is not that you don’t want to play. Some days is that you don’t want a player to play that much.
“And then he needs to accept that role in order to have a good emotional balance around the team as well that cannot interfere all the time in a daily basis.
“And you have to put effort there, but you have to accept that when it doesn’t happen, how you can you turn that situation into a positive one, and get that player contributing the way you believe that is the best for the team.”
Exciting is not the word I would use at the moment
This man is honestly so impressive, what a joy to witness
I try my beat
Mikel’s cards are loosening from his chest. I love having an articulate, intelligent manager. Again
We always heard players who don’t want to leave London. That’s a bit of a pinch too, but also an advantage.
I think I caught a typo blogs the word is “Exiting “ there is an extra “C”
I think it was auto corrected from excruciating
This season it hasn’t been exciting.
Extremely underwhelming is what I would use to describe it…
Like having a dental appointment.
You really need to get your rotten teeth fixed. You are looking forward to how much better it will be afterwards. You also know if you miss the crucial date it will get much worse.
But then the whole thing is excruciating and you wonder if it would have been better off getting drunk and having a mate smack you in the jaw.
Exciting.
Slightly off topic, is anyone else just a bit concerned about reports of Saliba possibly going out (again) on loan?