Arteta: It is draining to be boss of Arsenal
MIKEL ArtEtA was asked whether he found playing or management more tiring. His answer was emphatic. ‘the simple answer is managing, because you have a lot of people around you who you have to take care of,’ he explained.
‘I always say you have 70 hearts in the training ground and stadium that you have to look after every day. Every decision you make has an impact on their lives, their mood and the next day.
‘So you are very aware of that and you get attached emotionally to them and I’m attached emotionally to this football club. that makes the emotion even bigger and that will drain you energy-wise.’
Arteta says he doesn’t regret his decision to head into management, following his spell as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, despite his team languishing in 15th.
You wonder, of course, if Arteta is being slightly disingenuous as he reflects on his turbulent first 12 months as a No 1.
‘We have all been suffering in the last few weeks,’ he said.
‘I feel very responsible for that. the worst feeling is because I want to do so well for this football club. I want to bring all my passion, the knowledge that I have, the right intentions to move as quickly as we possibly can.
‘to do that we need to win matches and be stable. When I don’t do that, I feel like I am letting down the club and the people who work for us, and obviously our fans. It is draining, it is frustrating and it is painful.
‘I question myself every day. When results hit you like that, you can sometimes not find the right reasons to understand why we are losing matches when we produce what we produce. It is a big headache.
‘Even when you win, there are always things going on, but I knew when I took charge that it was a tough job and I have to say I love it. It was my decision to be here and I couldn’t be any prouder.’
Secure victory against Brighton at the Amex Stadium today and the hope that Arteta’s team have started to turn the corner would increase.
the Arsenal manager selected a young side for the 3-1 win over Chelsea on Boxing Day and was rewarded with what he described as the team’s best performance of the season.
the 38-year-old is expected to stick with the same formula today, adding: ‘It’s not that we had to play them (the young players), because we had enough senior players on the bench who could play. We decided to play them because they fully deserved it.
‘It’s a message within the squad that everyone is important and everybody can contribute — it doesn’t matter if you’re a young lad or a senior player.
‘I think it’s a great message that we have to rely on them.’