Transcript: Granit Xhaka talks to Sky Sports

Ahead of today’s clash with Bournemouth, Granit Xhaka spoke to Sky Sports’ journalist Paul Gilmour at London Colney about Mikel Arteta’s ‘process’, how things have changed at Arsenal, his coaching ambitions and whether the Arsenal dressing room has started to dream of a Premier League title.

The full interview, which is very good, was first broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports News ‘Soccer Saturday Pre-Match’ and should be available to view on the Sky Sports app at some point today.

In the meantime, we’ve done a transcript…

Full Granit Xhaka interview on Soccer Saturday Pre-Match at 1000 #afc pic.twitter.com/qg9D1FIXnD

— Paul Gilmour (@skysportspaulg) March 4, 2023

What one word sums up Arsenal this season…

Energy. 

What one word sums up Mikel Arteta…

Ooof. You have to think about this because you can use a lot. Erm. Special. 

What one word sums up Granit Xhaka…

Different. 

On how his role has changed during his time at Arsenal…

If I say different, I’m not speaking about my position, I’m speaking about myself. I’m much more experienced, much more calm, I’ve changed a lot since I had kids. On the pitch, of course, a new position where I never played before where Mikel Arteta put me in. If I’m honest, I never ever thought I could play this position. I didn’t like it a lot. I told that to Mikel as well. He told me that I can play this position, you have only to feel it and to love to play there. I started to do that and of course, my numbers speak for myself, the minutes, I’ve played as well. For me, the most important thing is to play. It doesn’t matter the position. I try everywhere where Mikel puts me to help the team. 

On what Arteta has done for this team and how he’s done it…

I remember when he came for the first time to the training ground, we went in a room where there’s a lot of chairs and he put all the chairs on the ground and said, ‘Guys, we’re looking at this at the moment’. Chaos. A big chaos. What he did is, he put the chairs, in the first year, the second year, the third year where the chairs have to be. That’s why we’re looking at this. Everything from the organisation; the training staff, how we prepare ourselves for opponents, training, the training ground, everything around us, he did something where I never, ever was thinking he can do that in three years. 

On the methods he uses to inspire and prepare the players (as seen in the Amazon doc)…

If I’m honest, I don’t know where he’s seen these types of games. We have nearly every day a “DJ”, a DJ on the training spaces putting some music. We are doing as well, before the games a couple of games where it’s to be awake, to be ready for the game. It’s very, very interesting because I never had this before. He knows exactly where he needs to push us, when to push us, where to take the pressure off, when to put more pressure. He’s somebody who smells it, even if he doesn’t have a lot of experience as a head coach, this is his first station if you think about it, but he has this feeling and this makes him very special. 

On Arteta talking about non-negotiables, phasing out big players like Ozil and Aubameyang and whether players immediately bought into the process…

It’s still a process. I think the process is not done. You say these two players, they were big names in this football club, we respect them a lot but of course to do these things [move them on] you need the support of the club. I think Mikel had the support from the club to do it. You have different types of character today, different types of players as well, now of course, you can say it was a good decision from Mikel to do that. I would say that my relationship with both players was very good, I never had any problems with any players, this was a decision by Mikel and the club. 

On whether Arteta has banned title talk, whether the players have banned it or if they embrace it…

He wants and demands a lot from us. But he wants as well that we demand a lot from each other. Every day. 100 per cent. Don’t drop anything because it can change, weekend by weekend. You lose two games, you are again second. If i’m honest, we didn’t speak about to win a title, yet. But, if you are so close, why not? If you are five points clear over second place, we know that we are still 13/14 games to play but why not to put the belief in each other to speak about it? I’m a big fan of to dream a little bit, but this is not a dream, this is something we can really achieve. But we are still thinking step-by-step, game-by-game, let’s see how far we can take it. 

On what role is played by the senior players at this point in the season…

I mean, talent is not enough. With only talent, you cannot achieve something big. If you see us on the training pitch, day-by-day, how much we care, how much we work…everything starts [somewhere], Mikel changed even the food. He changed a lot of food, our body fat dropped massively! They are small details but massive. 

On Saka and Martinelli…

First, they are very humble, even if they have this status now. They listen, they listen much more than before, they want to improve every day. They ask questions when they need something and after you can see the results on the pitch. I’m not surprised they are scoring, I’m not surprised they are giving a lot of assists, I’m not surprised they are giving the team energy with the runs they do, with their fight they have for themselves and the team. The numbers they speak for themselves, for sure. 

On the connection with the fans being the best he’s experienced…

I’m here since 2016, seven years, never ever was there a relationship between the fans and the players like there is today. This is everything about the process, this is what Mikel said from the beginning, we need time, we need time for the fans to understand the philosophy of Mikel as well. We’re getting results now. I wish for the next couple of years that even if maybe a couple of games are not going well, we still have this support what they are giving us at the moment. You can see that we are trying to give them something back. 

On how Xhaka the coach might manage Xhaka the player…

If I’m honest, with the [UEFA] B Licence, I’m done, I’m looking now for the next step. I’d say [no] excuses, as a footballer now and later as a coach, I want a lot of respect between each other and work. Because I think these three points are massive to achieve something. There are a lot of other details as well. But I think these three points are very important, for myself today and for hopefully, after many years, as a coach. 

On maybe managing in the Premier League…

You never know, why not? Why not? Let’s ask Mikel how long he wants to be here! No, I’m joking, it’s always a dream to be a coach in the Premier League but we go slowly, step-by-step. Let’s see where I can first start to coach somewhere. 

On his relationship with Jorginho and paying for the Italian to eat out…

I know Jorginho very well. We played against each other in the Premier League but as well a lot in the national team. A lot of respect to him, a lovely guy, we don’t speak about football [in the past] because we see the results as well. He called me one day around 7.30pm and said, ‘You’re the guy who can sort me something.’ I said I’d make some calls and I told the restaurant, I would pay for him. Yeah, I like to try help new players and to give them a good feeling here. He was enjoying that. 

On whether this is the best feeling there’s been around Arsenal since he joined…

It’s a different feeling. It’s a different feeling, a different type of players and team. Of course, to finish the season with a trophy, a Premier League trophy, would be huge. I think, not just for myself, but every player and the fans after so many years to win a trophy.