Emery axed after Arsenal’s terrible run
Former Gunners star Mikel Arteta, ex-juve handler Allegri and Napoli coach Ancelotti in the running for the job
LONDON: Unai Emery was sacked as Arsenal manager Friday after less than two years in charge and with the club without a win in seven games, their worst run since 1992. The 48-year-old Spaniard was fired following the 2-1 home defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in Thursday’s Europa League match.
His assistant Freddie Ljungberg takes over as interim manager during the search for a permanent replacement. Arsenal fans had demanded “decisive action” from directors with the club’s present run of five draws and two defeats this season just one match off equalling George Graham’s run of eight without a win in 1992.
Club directors responded by axing the man appointed in May 2018 to revive a club stagnating after two decades under Frenchman Arsene Wenger.
“We announce today that the decision has been taken to part company with our head coach Unai Emery and his coaching team,” read the statement.
“We have asked Freddie Ljungberg to take responsibility for the first team as interim head coach. The search for a new head coach is underway and we will make a further announcement when that process is complete.”
Ljungberg will be the first Swedish manager to take charge of a Premier League game since Sven-göran Eriksson, whose last game in the competition came in May 2008 in charge of Manchester City.
Among those in the mix for the permanent job include former Gunners star Mikel Arteta, Pep Guardiola’s assistant at champions Manchester City, ex-juventus handler Massimiliano Allegri and Wolves Portuguese manager Nuno Espirito Santo.
Napoli’s coach Carlo Ancelotti is another name that has entered the reckoning—he won the domestic double in the 2009/10 campaign when in charge of Chelsea —but Santo is the early bookies favourite at 11/10.
However, one thing that may work against Santo, 45, is his two spells in charge of relatively high profile clubs Valencia and Porto were not blessed with success.
Arsenal’s league form has fallen away badly with five Premier League matches without a win—they are the only side in the top half of the table with a negative goal difference.
Emery’s cause has not been helped by the stripping of the captaincy from fiery Swiss international Granit Xhaka after he swore at Gunners fans when being substituted against Crystal
Palace last month.
And a potential saviour, Gunners record signing Pepe, has been a huge disappointment since his £72 million move from French Ligue 1 outfit Lille in the close season. Emery’s position had looked shaky enough when north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur sacked Mauricio Pochettino last week only months after taking them to the Champions
League final.
The former Paris Saint Germain handler’s first season ended in disappointment.
Arsenal blew two chances for a return to the Champions League, winning just one of their last five games to finish fifth in the Premier League and then losing the Europa League final 4-1 to Chelsea.
“Our most sincere thanks go to
Unai and his colleagues who were unrelenting in their efforts to get the club back to competing at the level we all expect and demand,” read the club statement.
“We wish Unai and his team nothing but future success.
“The decision has been taken due to results and performances not being at the level required.”
The board, though, and especially unpopular American owner Stan Kroenke are seen as part of the problem by the supporters.
Emery’s departure is the easy part,” read their statement. “The more difficult challenge is to recruit a suitable successor.
“We are far from certain that Arsenal has the right personnel to lead this process. If Arsenal are to genuinely move forward from today it requires not only a new head coach appointment but also a rejuvenation of the boardroom.”
ROMA’S PELLEGRINI HIT BY COINS
PARIS: Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini was hit by coins as the Italian club kept their Europa League last 32 hopes alive with a 3-0 victory at Istanbul Basaksehir Thursday as Kazakh champions Astana fought back to surprise a youthful Manchester United 2-1.
Attacking midfielder Pellegrini had his head bandaged after he was struck by multiple coins with an hour of the game played after Jordan Veretout, Justin Kluivert and Edin Dzeko had claimed the advantage for the Serie A outfit in Turkey.
The visitors remain in contention for a knock-out spot and sit behind leaders Borussia Moenchengladbach, who beat Austrians Wolfsberg 1-0, on goal difference with the Turkish side a point behind on seven.
Earlier, captain Jesse Lingard opened the scoring for United, who had already reached the last 32, before Dmitri Shomko equalised for the home side.
Di’shon Bernard, 19, then put through his own goal to hand Astana victory over a United side whose average age was just 22.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made 11 changes from Sunday’s draw with Sheffield United by handing senior debuts to teenagers Ethan Laird, Dylan Levitt and Bernard as well as naming cancer survivor Max Taylor on the bench.