Mikel Arteta admits that he braces himself for bad news every morning as Covid-19 wreaks havoc with his day-to-day role of preparing his Arsenal players for matches.
While Premier League clubs worked their way back from lockdown to complete last season, the new campaign has been complicated by the return of international football and the dangers of allowing players to leave the protective elite-sport ‘bubble’ that has been cultivated in recent months.
Last month, Kieran Tierney had to self-isolate after a Scotland teammate tested positive for Covid-19 and in recent days both Sead Kolasinac and Mohamed Elneny have tested positive for the virus. After Willian ignored government advice on foreign travel to jet off to Dubai – something the club have spoken to the Brazilian about – the boss admits that he’s had to change the way he mentally approaches each day.
Asked if being a manager is ‘all-consuming’, he told his pre-Leeds press conference: “At the moment in the actual context [of Covid-19] it makes it that way.
“I feel so privileged to be where I am because I love so much what I do, I love to be sitting representing this football club and having the opportunity to spend time with these players and staff.
“But I think it is becoming a job where every time you are resolving issues and resolving problems. If you get shocked by that every day, then energy-wise it is very consuming.
“I come in now and I am expecting something to come in through the door and give me bad news and having to react quickly because I know it is coming right now.
“I try to prepare myself and my mood in the morning to say, ‘Okay, let’s see what we face today and let’s go for it.’”
It’s coming up to 11 months since Arteta took over as the main man in the dugout at the Emirates and he’s learned quickly that resilience is an important trait for any manager.
“Absolutely, and how you bounce back, how you navigate through difficult moments and how convinced you are about what you are doing and at the end of the day, how you judge yourself on the decisions you make, and where those decisions are coming at the end from you. Is it a real feeling, do you do it for someone else, or for any other opinion, or do you think it is the right thing for the club, the players or the staff.”
“It’s not ideal but we need to go through this. We are learning every day about it and there’s not much that we as managers can do as well.”
Ah for fucks sake…….pick your best team and get over it!
He’s actually adjusting well to the reality the rest of us Arsenal fans have come to expect…
Well you said it.
Stop being cranky Colin!
That’s how I’ve been navigating through life since I was a teen. If you expect the worst, then the worst doesn’t affect you as much. Also how I view Arsenal games now because this team keeps letting me down. The optimism is dwindling, hopefully that can change sooner rather than later.
Its hard to go through life imagining the worst that can happen and every time it turns out life has a much more vivid imagination than you do.
The more cynical among us would probably say that his comment is unsurprising given the disappointing overall performance of the side this season. Yes, the Covid-19 related issues generally and with some players are a pain but they are certainly not particular to Arsenal. Every club is playing in empty stadiums and most clubs have players that have tested positive for Covid-19. Let’s not take our eye off the bigger issues, specific to Arsenal, that need to be addressed urgently – of which there are several. The slightly worrying thing about all this is that Arteta is clearly having to… Read more »
But not every club is having to send half its team to the four corners of the world once every 6 weeks.
Maybe rather than mixing bubbles every couple of months for international matches, maybe combine all the qualifiers into a tournament itself at some point in the season!
Or just fuck them of entirely
Especially friendlies, really world in a pandemic, so let’s fly players all over world for a fckn friendly.
The world? You mean everywhere BUT China who are perfectly fine.
“Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country” Kennedy
What can I do my country for?
Here we go then Mr Arteta more bad news! William FFS ! Partey soft tissue damage! Our playing style ! Our lack of creativity ! Martinellis injury ! Emi left! However we do have Bukayo to brighten the bad news horizon ! Deall with the shit mate t’s called being a manager
If you actually understood what he said you’d realise he IS dealing with it.
Badly then actually eh? Actually Sorry EH? No way but Mikel’s highway but time will tell if that’s a toll road too much as at the moment we’re eleventh, stuck in a lay by, broken down & awaiting a rescue plan!
Without Partey and with many of our players coming back from international duty, I’m not optimistic for the Leeds match, but I am optimistic for the rest of the season in general.
I think we will get better, create more shots and more goals, and end the season in a good place.
Welcome to the reality of following and supporting Arsenal, Mikel.