Ask Wenger? That is not my style, says new man Emery
Spaniard wants to stamp own identity on Arsenal ‘Technical’ and ‘tactical’ reasons for Wilshere exit
Unai Emery has not spoken to Arsene Wenger since taking over as Arsenal manager and does not plan to ask for advice from his long-serving predecessor. Instead Emery said he wants to build his own relationship with the players and impose his “personality” on the club.
The new Arsenal manager said he may speak to Wenger at the annual managers’ meeting held by Uefa in Nyon but added that he was more preoccupied with forging his own connection with the squad.
“Normally, when we meet every year in Nyon with the coaches, we have a conversation together,” Emery said. “I am sure we will meet together in the next week or month or in the near future.”
Asked if it would be helpful to receive advice from Wenger, who left the club at the end of last season after 22 years in charge, Emery said: “Each coach needs to know the players. Not all the coaches have the same relationship with a player and I have my personality.
“I want to know with my direct opinion, with my direct conversations with the player. I have information on the players for the club from the people around me.
“The information with Arsene is also important for me but the best is my direct relationship and conversations with the players.”
Emery also revealed that he told Jack Wilshere, who this week signed for West Ham, that he was not going to feature in his starting line-up for “technical” and “tactical” reasons.
“The conversation with Wilshere was a very good conversation,” Emery said. “I explained to him my opinion how I wanted to create the team. He explained to me the decision is not easy for him but he wanted to choose the best option for him. It is with respect.”
Although Wilshere was allowed to leave, Emery hopes that Aaron Ramsey will commit to a new contract at the club. The midfielder has now entered the final year of his current Arsenal deal.
“I am very happy with him,” Emery said. “For me, every day, every training session, he has the ambition I want. He is working with quality, the type of ability that I want. I want to work with him. He is an important player for me.”
Emery added that he wants “five captains” in his team, including current club captain Laurent Koscielny. “My idea is to know every player and to know, also, the personality of the players,” he said. “And then, I think my first idea is to have five captains in the team.
“But at the moment, I do not know the names. I need to know more and also, firstly, Koscielny is the first captain now and for me, I have respect for that. Then we are looking at who are the players whose personality is the best in the dressing room.”