Ivan’s trial balloons + Arsenal’s likely search and select process

by .

Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 21.41.42

Things feel like they’re moving at a rapid pace in the hire for the new manager of Arsenal FC, but I’d caution you to all slow down a touch.

The leaks to the press are interesting, but I think we need to be careful about what we believe.

Things we’re pretty damn certain about:

1. Arsenal were not talking to any manager about Arsene’s job before last Thursday. That was a respect thing, the club like to claim they have class, and we’ve no reason to believe otherwise.

2. Arsenal want to get this next hire right. Ivan has been waiting for 10 years to make a proper impact on the playing side. This is his chance, his moment to shine like Pascal Cygan’s forehead on a summers day. Do not believe they fired Wenger so they could make a decision in 4 days. They have time, they’ll use it.

The club will go through a proper search and select process. Firstly, they’ll likely have spent a year building a brief of the type of manager they want to hire, Ivan already stated he wants someone who can work with young players, it’s clear they want someone who understands how to implement a pressing game, and he’ll want to lean into the playing values Wenger brought to the club. They’ll be thinking about what they’re looking to achieve, and the ways they can achieve it, as well as the different ways they can achieve those goals.

From there, they’ll compile a group of names and they’ll press contacts throughout Europe to build reports (Sven and Raul will show their worth here, just like Henrique has been doing at PSG). They’ll want to know about their characters, their ability to deal with pressure, style of management, how they work with those above them, and what players think of them. According to Ballague’s book, it was after this phase Arsene Wenger was pushed out of the reckoning for the Barca job in 2008.

From there, they’ll whittle down to a list of names they can speak to, maybe they’ll reach out to agents to gauge interest, then they’ll set up interviews.

You’d imagine for a job the size of Arsenal, they’ll be expected to present their vision of the club (Ryan Giggs classically failed here for Swansea). Arsenal will want to interrogate their ideas for Arsenal, find out more details about their footballing ideals/values, understand their management style, and get to grips with how they work with the specialists where they are. Jose Mourinho failed to get the Barca job back in the day because when he was asked if he’d relinquish his combative approach in the media, he refused, stating it’s part of his game.

I’d imagine after working with Wenger, the club will want someone amenable to a more democratic structure, a man open to new ideas, comfortable with empowering those around them with responsibility and decision making power, and the absolute key… being able to communicate ideas with intensity and passion.

Whenever you read about Pep, it’s always his intensity. Players love his training sessions (read), no one has more energy than him, no one has better ideas, and his commitment and his vision are utterly infectious (watch). Intensity is something we lack on and off the pitch, and it’s something the board will want to see back at the club.

So basically, what I’m saying is this… sure, Enrique and Arteta are going to be in the mix for the new role at the club, but don’t be daft enough to think they’re near a decision yet.

I’m not so keen on Enrique. I don’t know a lot about him, but I kind of feel he’s a poor man’s Pep G. This from Sid Lowe at ESPN very eloquently gives an insight into the manager that I’m not sure we’d enjoy.

Barcelona’s problems are a reality. The team that once invited opponents onto them now looks frightened when they are pressed, unable to find a way out; those passageways they once opened remain closed, the mechanisms malfunctioning. Or maybe there aren’t any? Maybe that element of their game, once so central and important, has been relegated to a minor issue? The evidence on the pitch suggests so, and so did the comments on the touchline.

Luis Enrique is a former Barcelona player, a Barcelona B-team manager, a man who embraced the city and the club and loved to wind up Madrid, who said he was coming “home” when he took over, likening the Camp Nou to Disneyland. But some critics suspected that he was not really Barcelona, and now they’re even more convinced. When Luis Enrique said he was “faithful” to the style but wanted to “evolve it, perfect it, improve it,” they suspected he actually meant destroy it. Now they’re even more convinced of that. Not least because they were convinced of it then, even as he won trophies and fans chanted his name

I’m kind of hoping the name will go away, but the key here is that Enrique knows someone at the club.

Screen Shot 2018-04-23 at 21.21.20

There’s a clear pattern from yesterdays media leaks. All the people that are supposedly still in the mix are linked to someone at the club. I don’t think that’s necessarily a key decision point, but as you know in business, it really fucking helps if someone can vouch for you. I have my doubts it’s any different in football.

I’d imagine a big part of Ivan’s decision making has to be with the fans. He’ll never admit it, but he needs us onboard. Letting Sky know Arteta was his favoured candidate might not be as irresponsible as you think. I’m sure he’s gauging fan reaction to see how much stomach we have for risk. Managerial trial balloons, I’m not sure he’d have liked the reaction, which seems cold if I’m honest.

I’ve been telling you since last May the club wanted the return of Arteta, and that the Spaniard turned down Spurs because he wanted to return to us at some point. I wrote in November why he’d be an interesting hire.

To summarise:

1. Signing Arteta works from a culture perspective, he gets the club, he’s well-liked, and he knows everyone

2. Ivan would own his pristine hair and his backside. Being a kingmaker allows you to control the manager and the direction of the club. Something he’s lacked under Wenger.

3. You’re hiring from the best-tutored coach in the world game. The greatest innovators are usually exposed to genius somewhere along the line (Steve Jobs @ Xerox). They often take others ideas, and reimagine them for themselves. If Arteta is as smart as they say he is, he could be a force to be reckoned with if he can adapt to the gravity of the job.

4. There’s a cost benefit. A young manager charges less, comes with fewer people, and if it goes wrong you don’t have to spend much to rectify the issue.

I’m not sure we’ll have the balls to go with an Arteta like signing, but look, I’d not be against the move. I think it’s strategically sound, and I’d certainly be excited about watching a young manager bring Pep levels of intensity to the Colney dossers club.

Definitely worth a few of your pennies if you’re a gambler, but I do think it might be sharper for the club to look at Nagelsmann if we’re going for untested. He’s already proved he can build something from nothing, he’s taken Hoffenheim to the Champions League (from relegation fodder), he’s shown he can develop players, and he’s on the verge of recreating the same success of last season for the second year running. He’d still be a brave move, but I think the fans would be more comfortable with him as a risk.

There will be more names linked, likely more experienced, and I think the favourites list from the bookies will go back and forth. Expect Conte to be linked, I’d imagine the Allegri rumours will start again, we’ll absolutely explore Jardim, and I’d imagine we’ll see names like Hassenhutl, Jardim, Poch, Carlo and Tedesco in the papers.

Everyone, I say this truthfully, I have not been this excited about Arsenal for 15 years.

The future is bright. It’s technical. It’s unpredictable and joy-filled whatever happens.

We’ve broken the grip of Wenger, now we can enjoy football like any other fan of a rich elite club in London.

What a summer we have ahead.

See you in the comments.

490 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
HighburyLegend

Spot on, Marko.

Guns of SF

2 players that I would like would be NZonzi and Koulibaly. Both will cost some dough but would make great additions to the steel we lack

Carts

I have no problem acknowledging what ever impact Arteta will have on Arsenal.

I think some of us are overlooking how turgid and tactically inept we’ve been, over the last half a dozen seasons.

With the right support structure in place, Arteta will make every to whip us into shape, especially when we play away from home. That’s almost good enough for me.

But he’s not my fist choice, so we’ll see what develops.

Danny

Because there was Xavi/Xabi Alonso/Busquets/Iniesta etc… It’s the most talented Spanish generation of all time so criticising Arteta for not playing is a bit silly, when Cesc, who was twice as good, also struggled to start.
———————————————
………….but he never played even once!

Guns of SF

I would take Ancelloti any day over Arteta. I know youth is the way to go, but you also cannot deny big team and big game experience. Arteta – just the thought if this makes me want to hurl, seeing his stone face on the sidelines pretending he knows what he is doing.

Romford Pele

“………….but he never played even once!”

What’s your point? That he wasn’t a great player? That’s fair enough but how does that define what he may be like as a manager? Mourinho barely played football, Wenger and Klopp weren’t successful footballers but it hasn’t stopped them having decent careers as managers. There aren’t many who are great players going on to be great managers. In fact, loads of great players fail at management. Pep is a bit of a freak that he managed to be good at both.

Marko

Look at some of the list of previous managers at Barca like Martino and Valverde who came with very little pedigree and had won little. They managed to win the players over, which is telling considering the egos there. Not always essential to be a name. But they had experience managing football clubs though. Martino managed Argentina and Valverde impressed with Bibao. Arteta’s been sitting beside Pep for two years and that’s it. How can people say Arteta is a yes-man when they’ve never seen him manage? How people can say anything about him when they’ve never seen him manage… Read more »

Marko

Whatever happens though it needs to happen right quick. End of the season fast approaching and with the world cup and not to mention I’m not sure if everyone realises this but the transfer window closes early this summer. It’s no longer September 1st it finishes before the season starts. Huge summer with less time than usual

Romford Pele

“But they had experience managing football clubs though. Martino managed Argentina and Valverde impressed with Bibao. Arteta’s been sitting beside Pep for two years and that’s it.” Of course his experience is limited but that didn’t stop Zidane or Pep from getting the two biggest jobs in football respectively after managing the B teams at their clubs. Arteta did also coach in his last year here and has all his coaching badges. “How people can say anything about him when they’ve never seen him manage is beyond me. How he’s linked with the Arsenal job haven’t NEVER managed is beyond… Read more »

Romford Pele

Anyway I did a pros and cons of having Arteta as manager on the first page. My preferences are Sarri and Tuchel.

Danny

There aren’t many who are great players going on to be great managers.
———————————-
Actually there are e.g. Brian Clough, Klopp, Dalglish, Zidane, Deschamps, Conte, Simeone, Capello, Rijkaard, Beckenbauer, Cruyff etc etc

Danny

Actually not Klopp but definitely Ancelotti.

Elmo

Up4grabs Thanks for the reminder about the changes to the transfer window dates. This summer the window will close before the start of the season, on 9th August. Apparently it will open earlier as a consequence, as FIFA requires the summer window to be 12 weeks long, so 17th May should be the date. Sanllehi should be looking to have got as much business as possible done in the month between 17th May and the start of the WC on 14th June. All the planning should have been done by now, though obviously it would be positive to have a… Read more »

Romford Pele

“Actually there are e.g. Brian Clough, Klopp, Dalglish, Zidane, Deschamps, Conte, Simeone, Capello, Rijkaard, Beckenbauer, Cruyff etc etc”

Clough – yes
Klopp – no
Dalglish isn’t and was never a great manager
Zidane – hmmm jury’s out on him. Not convinced he’s great
Deschamps – trash coach. People want him sacked as the coach for a reason
Conte – ok
Simeone – sure
Capello – Been irrelevant as a coach since his England stint and now manages in China
Rijkaard – Hasn’t been relevant since Barca
Beckenbauer and Cruyff weren’t great managers despite being awesome players too.

Chika

Arteta might not be my prime choice but I clearly understand why he’d be considered a top candidate.

Having said that, with the right structure, Arteta would excite me more than Ancelloti.

Chika

Why would any right thinking fan suggest selling Lacazette? I’d rather we sold Welbeck and invest in a proper winger.

Bob N16

Danny, some great managers were also great players – some weren’t. What is your point?

Jeff

If you want to continue with the self-harming paradigm we’ve endured for years, by all means hire and fire Arteta within 12 months and go for a manager with pedigree and experience.

Danny

Beckenbauer and Cruyff weren’t great managers despite being awesome players too.
—————————
Beckenbauer won the world cup in 1990!

Jeff

My personal favourite is Joachim Loew.

Gunner2301

Romford with all due respect. Gazidis took 10 years to grow a pair we cant wait that long for Arteta 🙂

gambon

“Beckenbauer and Cruyff weren’t great managers despite being awesome players too.”

Cruyff wasnt a great manager?

Dear me.

Yet you want Tuchel.

Another Football Hipster exposed.

Chika

Glad to have ROP back in the mix. Hopefully, Louis Almeida shows up too. Top top posters!

Romford Pele

Cruyff was a typo! But Beckenbauer definitely wasn’t. Low won the World Cup but I wouldn’t have him up in the elite list.

Romford Pele

Chika, nice one!

WengerEagle

‘Of course his experience is limited but that didn’t stop Zidane or Pep from getting the two biggest jobs in football respectively after managing the B teams at their clubs. Arteta did also coach in his last year here and has all his coaching badges.’ See while I get the comparison, I never liked this one for the following reason- Zidane and Pep were both hugely respected figures in the game, the former a transcendent midfielder and leader that won every major honour in the game for club and country, at times almost single-handedly and the latter has immense success… Read more »

WengerEagle

Pep edges ZZ in terms of his ability to motivate others imo, segments from Bayern players, former Barca players all relay just how exceptional a man-motivator that Pep is and the unparrallelled lengths that he goes to to get an edge on his opponents. But ZZ has that aura, he’s probably one of the top 2 former players respected in the game along with Ronaldo, especially with this generation of players who would have grown up in their teens watching him lead France and Real Madrid to success. He’s also a clever football man by dispensing with a few of… Read more »

Jeff

“Low has won more games than any other national team coach, and his 95 victories have come in 142 matches. Low’s win percentage (he has also presided over 24 draws and 23 defeats) is 67 per cent, also higher than any of his predecessors.”

“Since his appointment, Germany have appeared at five major tournaments, reaching at least the semi-finals on each occasion. “

Ishola70

lol forget about what Arteta was like as a player compared to a Zidane or Pep. It has absolutely no bearing in comparison to the fact that both Zidane and Pep stepped into their managerial roles in clubs that have the best set-ups in the world and not only that came in as already being in the set-up not as first team coaches but as B team coaches of those clubs. To even compare these situations with Arteta and Arsenal is false grandiose. If Arteta was appointed even those that would not be overly excited or impressed would I’m sure… Read more »

Danny

Danny, some great managers were also great players – some weren’t. What is your point?
———————————–
I never liked Arteta, was very disappointed when we bought him from Everton, so therefore the thought of him becoming our manager simply makes me sick.
Maybe I’ll be proved wrong and he’ll be the manager we’ve all been waiting for over these last 10 years but I just don’t see it at the moment.

WengerEagle

That’s somewhere Henry would edge Arteta for me, hugely respected player and feared, has that intangible aura and undoubted charisma.

Will be interesting to see how Belgium do in this summers WC with him and Bobby M.

Bob N16

Fair enough Danny. He’s not in my top half dozen but I suppose he could be a better manager than player. He was far from being a terrible player though…..

underrated Coq

We know of Vieira’s approach as a player. What do we know of his approach to management? Apples and oranges really

Fond memories of captain fantastic Vieira or Arteta’s not-so-fondly-remembered days as an Arsenal player should have no bearing when making a decision for suitability in a totally different career path.

There’s no agenda at play here. Whomever has the best ideas and sells a great vision for the club should get the job.

Emiratesstroller

Personally I don’t see Arsenal making material changes to the offensive side of the squad. We offloaded Walcott and Giroud in January and I would have thought that Arsenal will be offloading the three forwards who are out on loan namely Peres, Akpom and Campbell. I think that there is some evidence that Aubameyang and Lacazette could knit well together as they did on Sunday. Welbeck does have limitations, but if we are not bringing in this summer a winger then I think that the club will hold onto him. If Wilshire is offloaded this summer then it would not… Read more »

WengerEagle

‘It has absolutely no bearing in comparison to the fact that both Zidane and Pep stepped into their managerial roles in clubs that have the best set-ups in the world and not only that came in as already being in the set-up not as first team coaches but as B team coaches of those clubs.’ Under this same system and resources, Real Madrid delivered a grand total sum of 1 league title in 7 seasons since Ronaldo joined in 2009 (2015/16 the league was already lost by the time Rafa was sacked for ZZ). In ZZ’s first two seasons he… Read more »

Danny

He was far from being a terrible player though…..
—————————
He was so bloody slow!.What a team we had with him and Mert!
…….but he did score a nice one against Man City in the 86th minute to win the match.

WengerEagle

‘If Arteta was appointed even those that would not be overly excited or impressed would I’m sure get behind him from the start and see what he can deliver.’

Absolutely.

I’ll get behind whoever it is from the get-go, even if it’s Brenda.

They deserve a chance, for me that means at least a season if not two unless the first one is disasterous.

WengerEagle

‘Whomever has the best ideas and sells a great vision for the club should get the job’

Yep.

I’m sure that even Moysie had incredible ideas as to bringing United forward though, it’s why I would rather a gaffer that has proven himself to some degree compared to a former player like Vieira or Arteta.

Look at how terrible Clarence Seedorf has been as a gaffer, about to get Deportivo relegated.

Jeff

Can any of you in your wildest dreams see Arteta being able to motivate and direct the likes of Ozil, Auba or Lacazette? These players need someone they can respect, someone they can be proud and happy to be managed by. This Arteta idea is the stupidest idea since the stupidest idea that was eve stupid.

WengerEagle

Agree Jeff.

People will cite the likes of Mourinho, Klopp, Wenger himself as gaffers who didn’t really do anything as players but fact is they all had to grind and prove themselves in the management game before they were considered for the top jobs.

Arteta never came close to winning the Premier League or UCL, bit of a stretch comparing him to Pep or ZZ who came in and instantly would have commanded respect from the players for what they both achieved in the game, in a leadership role.

Ishola70

Misunderstanding I think WE. I’m not judging what Pep or Zidane done or have done or doing at those clubs. What I was implying is that it is not really worth comparing what goes on at Real Madrid and Barca in comparison to Arsenal that’s all. Back to Arteta it was said on here in the past that even if we got our wish and Wenger was no longer manager there could still be a case of not a complete break from him either he went upstairs or someone is brought in that is associated with him e.g. an ex-player.… Read more »

Emiratesstroller

Jeff

Who says that Arteta is not respected by Ozil, Aubameyang and Lacazette?

If he is respected by Gazidis, Wenger and Guardiola I am sure that others respect him just as much.

The real point is that he is working alongside Guardiola at moment and may not want to return to Arsenal at moment.

underrated Coq

‘Can any of you in your wildest dreams see Arteta being able to motivate and direct the likes of Ozil, Auba or Lacazette?’

In that case, no coach in the World should ever be able to manage Messi, Ronaldo, Neymars of the World. That’s not how it works.

If your manager gets you playing well, gets you enjoying your football and there’s an uptick in your form as well as the team’s…respect comes naturally.

This matters more than how many accolades and titles the manager won in his playing days.

Ishola70

“The lunatics are taking over the asylum”

Oh yes you better believe it.

They will be back if Wenger associated Arteta is a dud.

WengerEagle

Ishola

Oh my bad, misread what you were saying.

Agree, my post was about who I want the club to bring in, not who i think that they will actually go for.

Just like players, at times I have put up my wish list which is nothing more than an idealistic wish list on my part that I know we most likely will not sign (besides Xhaka, lol sorry about that one!).

You’re right, and by all accounts Arteta’s the one that Gazidis wants to take over, at least according to Sky.

Should be interesting.

Jeff

Take Gary Neville for example. He talked the talk but couldn’t walk the walk – not for all the rice in China. He went into management as a complete novice and totally failed. It’s not for everyone. Of course it doesn’t mean Arteta cannot be a super-dooper manager but how likely is it? What is more likely to give us success after the last 15 years of drudgery and stagnation? A complete novice or a successful manager who’s still managing now, winning things and has a great record as well? Yeah, we’re getting rid of Wenger and I know we’ve… Read more »

WengerEagle

‘The real point is that he is working alongside Guardiola at moment and may not want to return to Arsenal at moment.’

Of course he would, he would give his pinky for the chance.

He would have to be nuts to turn down that opportunity, Paul Clement left Ancelotti’s side at Real Madrid to manage Derby County in the Championship.

Arsenal are a hugely attractive proposition to manage, especially for a former player that played with more than half of the current squad.

WengerEagle

‘If your manager gets you playing well, gets you enjoying your football and there’s an uptick in your form as well as the team’s…respect comes naturally.’

Agree but it’s all speculative with Arteta.

Which is why people use Pep and ZZ comparisons but even they are off due to the huge disparity in how much they both achieved in the game- which does matter to some degree when dealing with a new bunch of players.

azed

Right now, we are Everton level, we don’t have the time to be messing around otherwise we would be so far off the top we would need City level money just to attain top 4.

We need a now manager and Arteta and Viera are not it.

underrated Coq

Actually Moyes was one of those that had proven himself, he’d done the grind work as you say. Man Utd went for him because they were caught up in the ‘long term stability’ frenzy. He failed because he had no new tricks up his sleeve, just the same old hoofball and the huffing and puffing.

Guns of SF

Some have speculated that the coach has already been picked.
I can see that happening for someone out of contract but a coach that is under contrat, my guess is that would be tampering. Arent there rules around that?

Jeff

Is it just me or is there a general tendency for the full blown as well as closet-AKBs to always aim low and to favour the cheap option?

Guns of SF

Your Comment Here

WengerEagle

UC

True, suppose my point was that anyone can sell a vision for the club, it’s all well and good talking a good game.

Re Moyes, mad how one meme-rich season at United ruined his managerial reputation and has seen his career spiral to new lows.

Did a poor job at Real Sociedad, was shocking in charge of Sunderland getting them relegated by a mile and he’s been garbage for West Ham.

Marko

Cruyff is the architect of Barcelona as we know it now.

azed

Up 4 G
“When asked about his playing style Rangnick said: “It’s aggressive forward defending and pressing. Playing in private possession and directly to the front. Lateral and back passes are rather not so much in demand.”

This rules Rangnick out as a majority of our players are lateral passers.

underrated Coq

‘Which is why people use Pep and ZZ comparisons but even they are off due to the huge disparity in how much they both achieved in the game- which does matter to some degree when dealing with a new bunch of players.’

True, but you do need management skills or tactical expertise to last beyond the initial honeymoon phase. People don’t stay starstruck or awestruck for too long unless you continue to give them new reasons to be inspired.

Champagne charlie

“Is it just me or is there a general tendency for the full blown as well as closet-AKBs to always aim low and to favour the cheap option?“

About sums up your ability to think when you’re equating everything based on money.

I hear Luis Enrique wants 15mil, he must be mustard sign him up!

salpardisenyc

Gazidis has lived this moment over and over again, he was prepared. Highly likely he’s already lined his man up and the rest is media noise. Hard to envision not having a very short list going into that meeting, knowing Wengers not coming out in charge. Personally don’t see club going from 22 years of Wenger to a clean break, a portion of him stays on w/ Henry on the staff in some capacity or a full roll of dice on Arteta or Vieira. Seems like Josh K has been involved in much, fact Wenger is now gone leaves me… Read more »

Champagne charlie

Not sure I get the comparisons or citations about Zidane and his achievements in his playing career translating to “respect” as a manager.

He’s out of job end of this season because he has no managerial ability, just a motivator of egos at the most egocentric club in world football.

Jeff

No I know what it is. The poor souls remember Wenger once favouring Arteta as the next manager so it’s really the next best thing for them. Should have sussed earlier but it just occurred to me because cubic capacity just turned up.

WengerEagle

‘People don’t stay starstruck or awestruck for too long unless you continue to give them new reasons to be inspired.’ Absolutely, only these two did that, in spectacular fashion in Pep’s case. For every Pep and ZZ there are far more Gary Nevilles, Pippo Inzaghis, Clarence Seedorfs, Alan Shearers, Roy Keanes, Sami Hyppias, etc. Outside of Pep and ZZ I can’t think of ANY other examples of former players in their first senior managerial positions getting access to such a high club and achieving success with them in fact. And as I already mentioned, the immense respect that their names… Read more »

WengerEagle

‘He’s out of job end of this season because he has no managerial ability’ He clearly does if he orchestrated back to back winning UCL seasons and beat Barcelona to the league title in his first full season as manager, a feat unmatched by any of the previous RM gaffers in the Ronaldo era besides Mourinho in his second season there. Without bringing in anybody, which for me is the key point. He’s achieving all of this with the same players that Ancelotti and Rafa failed to win to the same degree with. Is he as great as Pep? Not… Read more »

WengerEagle

Roma opting for a defensive line-up, left Perotti and Schick on the bench.

Makes sense tbf, if they can beat Barcelona 3-0 in Rome they are more than capable of beating Liverpool there.

Ishola70

salpardisenyc “Personally don’t see club going from 22 years of Wenger to a clean break, a portion of him stays on w/ Henry on the staff in some capacity or a full roll of dice on Arteta or Vieira” So basically you are saying the club are wedded to Wenger and can’t see past him? Like some eternal indebtedness . The thing is though this feeling from some as wanting to be forever associated with Wenger comes with it some misgivings. Wenger teams for well over a decade were flawed teams. It’s a shame that the club may show that… Read more »

Jeff

We can’t get Guardiola so let’s get his student instead because he will have learnt all the tricks of the trade by now and he’s earned all his badges as well. Wow, yeah, just ripe for Arsenal. That sort of mentality stinks from here to high heaven. We’ve had to put up with cheap punts and hand-me-downs so long that we’re now going to apply the same principle to replacing the manager as well. For the love of all that is good – please knock this Arteta thing on the head.

Marko

Rangnick wouldn’t be bad

Ishola70

Can you imagine the games next season against Man City Jeff?

Pep patting his student boy Arteta on the head before kick-off.

Arsenal should be getting someone in that Ped could be a little wary of rather than one of his present underlings.

Oh well we will see what happens soon enough.

underrated Coq

‘Re Moyes, mad how one meme-rich season at United ruined his managerial reputation and has seen his career spiral to new lows’

Poor man. There’s no recovering from high profile failures, is there.

Not surprised to find Vieira and Nagelsmann distancing themselves from Arsenal links. Big move of that nature takes serious balls, if it doesn’t work out well your career could be over before it even begins.

salpardisenyc

Ishola Was always going to be a bit Bagdad after Saddam was outed. Club not wedded to Wenger at all by having one of his former players on staff, to be clear Wenger should and will not have a say in anything. A few solid choices for me: Arteta – high risk – high reward Jardim – Reason half his side was bought, rebuilt it and is still in champions league places Sarri – scares the living shit out of me but it would certainly be exciting. Allegri – Master builder we’d not recognize that organization What I have taken… Read more »

Marko

He’s out of job end of this season because he has no managerial ability, just a motivator of egos at the most egocentric club in world football.

He’s got no managerial ability but has won two champions leagues as manager. While the last two years Arteta has been sitting on a bench beside Brian Kidd and you’re talking up his potential.

Ishola70

Sal can you explain further your description of Arteta there.

“High risk – high reward”

I’m interested in the “high reward” bit.

What do we know about Arteta at this time to label him like that.

He might just be average and float along just out of the top four for the next few seasons.

Why is he seen as potential “high reward”?

Ishola70

“i’m confident our next manager will not be a rabbit pulled out of the hat.”

So that means no Arteta then Sal.

Jeff

High Risk – High Reward means he’s likely to fail but if he succeeds it’ll be very cheap.

Champagne charlie

Weagle

Doesn’t prove his tactical worth whatsoever, his legend status has worn off and his managerial/tactical ability is what’s been under scrutiny this season. He’s been found wanting, and the recent up turn has been thanks to Ronaldo managing his legs better.

Unless you want to offer up another reason he’ll be sacked in the summer other than his inability to manage?

Marko

The job of Guardiola’s assistant coach falls to another Spaniard, Domenec Torrent. Their working relationship began in 2007 when Guardiola was put in charge of the Barcelona B side and together they helped the reserve side gain promotion to the second division. When Guardiola was later appointed Barcelona manager, he did not hesitate in taking Torrent with him and they have worked together ever since. Why isn’t anyone considering Torrent? We’re considering Arteta people are waxing lyrical about him because he’s been two years with Pep so why not someone who’s been with him longer? Makes sense or at least… Read more »

Ishola70

Marko it’s simple.

Not only is Torrent not Arsene FC associated he didn’t buy Gazidis an expensive watch either.

salpardisenyc

Ish

Pretty simple, not many given club this gravity to manage out of the gate.
Has all the makings of going full Pep or Leonardo after Carlo left AC Milan. Doesnt really feel like a treading water territory now does it.

Who’d you have?

Champagne charlie

“He’s got no managerial ability but has won two champions leagues as manager. While the last two years Arteta has been sitting on a bench beside Brian Kidd and you’re talking up his potential.“ I’m not talking up Arteta, I’m commenting that the noise around him gives credence to the idea of him being a candidate. I’m assessing the bits of info at hand and deducing that potentially there’s a manager there in waiting. Do your bit to twist though… I’ll ask you too, why’s Zidane getting the boot in the summer if he’s got this famed hero presence, Madrid… Read more »

Marko

Doesn’t prove his tactical worth whatsoever.

What Zidane has done the last two years doesn’t prove his tactical worth but again what has Arteta done the last two years to prove his. I’m actually stop talking about this now because I doubt he’s getting it

Marko

I’m not talking up Arteta

Oh you’re not talking him up? My mistake I thought this whole time you’ve been talking him up because he’s sitting on the bench beside Pep oh and because Wenger talked about his potential. My bad

Champagne charlie

Marko

Probably best you stop talking about Arteta given you’re going off on various false tangents and inventing narratives at play.

Ishola70

salpardisenyc “Pretty simple, not many given club this gravity to manage out of the gate. Has all the makings of going full Pep or Leonardo after Carlo left AC Milan. Doesnt really feel like a treading water territory now does it. Who’d you have?” What offers has Arteta had Sal to become manager of a club other than Arsenal? What would be really good is if Arteta was undoubted absolute hot property and clubs are dying for his services but he chooses Arsenal because of his previous connection to the club. That would be good. But I’m not sure that… Read more »

Marko

I’ll ask you too, why’s Zidane getting the boot in the summer if he’s got this famed hero presence, Madrid legend status, AND managerial chops?

Because he’s had a bad season I suppose. I don’t think I’d say he’s got no tactical worth whatsoever or no managerial ability which is what you said. I mean if you think that after the two seasons he’s had I could imagine what you’d say about the last two years of Wenger. No tactical worth? You’d be right. No managerial ability? Right again.

kel

I would have sold ozil this summer, he’s not eorth 350 mill a week when he’s sick almost every week. AND VANISHES in big games. A major wenger cockup for sure

Ishola70

Should have said rumors relating to Arteta.

Ishola70

Ickerpool playing soon.

Expect high octane.

Marko

Fazio struggled at Spurs and Sevilla and here he is starting a champions league semi-final. Who knew

Marko

Probably best you stop talking about Arteta given you’re going off on various false tangents and inventing narratives at play.

Inventing narratives? I sure am you definitely weren’t making a case for him at all. I’m starting the Domenec Torrent narrative he’s been learning from Pep since Barcelona B

Dream10

Apparently, Monaco are eyeing their former player Marcelo Gallardo who manages River Plate, to possibly become their new manager.

This could mean Leonardo Jardim is in talks with an English club. Both Arsenal & Chelsea will have vacancies. The blues have also been linked with Sarri of Napoli.

Ishola70

Should have been yellow for Dick Van Dyke

Guns of Brixton

Oxlade being the player i always wanted him to be.

FFS kills me seeing him

Ishola70

Fantastic this Roma manager.

Looks like a trainspotter.

TR7

VVD has been a superb sighing for Liverpool. The guy is a leader. I thought he was way overpriced but looks like Liverpool were right in spending a fortune on him.

Ishola70

“Oxlade being the player i always wanted him to be.”

He’ll do well to survive that collision.

Danny

Well that makes a change, Oxlade is injured.

Ishola70

It’s over for the Ox.

Marko

Would love Jardim

Ishola70

Bit flappy from Kars the Keep