Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
STATE OF THEART Arsenal missed out on Arteta in 2018...they can’t let this bright, sharp, engaging coach slip away again
MIKEL ARTETA was just days away from getting the Arsenal job in 2018 – and they must not let him slip away again.
The 37-year-old is the perfect choice for Arsenal despite it being one of the most challenging times in the club’s recent history.
But that is also why they must think outside the box, go young, be innovative, and hire an outstanding coach with Arsenal links who understands the club’s DNA.
Arteta is a million miles away from the usual assistant manager, another version of Freddie Ljungberg (inset), who has not clicked as caretaker.
He is bright, sharp and engaging. When the Spaniard hung up his boots in 2016, Pep Guardiola was desperate to take him to Manchester City to be part of his staff, and Mauricio Pochettino also wanted him at Tottenham.
When bigname managers spot something in a player, they tend to be right – and Arteta is one of European football’s brightest young coaches, with a brilliant tactical brain.
The former Arsenal and Everton midfielder was first choice to replace Arsene Wenger 18 months ago, before the club got cold feet and went for Unai Emery instead.
People expressed surprise about Arteta being a candidate back then – and are doing so again. But that shows a failure to understand how good he is.
He is serious, a keen student of the game, and was a key figure during his playing days for the Gunners, a real leader during the dog days of Arsene Wenger’s reign.
And he is an outstanding coach. Raheem Sterling will testify that he worked with him closely, improved him and also has the ability to put an arm around a player’s shoulder.
Back in August 2018, when City played Arsenal, Guardiola put Arteta in charge of preparing his team because he knew his old club so well.
Arteta drilled City, exposed Arsenal’s weaknesses by switching Sterling from the right to the left wing (he had barely played there until then) and the England star scored and was the key figure in a 2-0 win as he got in behind Hector Bellerin’s forward runs.
Arteta speaks well too, so he would make the club relevant again after Emery’s disastrous press conferences.
He will also connect with the club’s fans, have a set way of playing and an identity – he wants to play Guardiola’s pressing style – and will be passionate on the touchline.
Arsenal do not have huge sums of money, but have good youngsters and need someone to pull the club together. That is why Arteta ticks all the boxes. He can re-energise the club.
Being realistic, Arsenal wanted to wait until the end of the season and hoped Ljungberg would guide them through.
But results have been so poor they felt the need to act now and Arteta is the best option out there when it comes to a mid-season appointment.
Former chief executive Ivan Gazidis wanted Arteta, who delivered the best interview of all the candidates, in 2018.
They were so far down the line that they even discussed transfer targets.
But there were doubts among the older members of the board, plus head of football Raul Sanllehi, who were worried about a lack of experience.
Those people and doubts still remain, but it was Sanllehi who went from not fancying Emery to pushing for him with a strange change of heart.
They got it badly wrong back then and cannot afford to do so again.
This is a pivotal time for the club. They have been out of the Champions League for three years and if this decline continues they will be heading for mid-table mediocrity for years to come.
That is why they must do something different – and Arteta is the perfect choice.