We’ve moved into the final stretch of the hiring process.
Well, that’s what people will have you believe.
The internet at this point is a massive guessing game. Everyone wants to be the person that announced #WelcomeMikel. I’d take all of the nonsense with a very large pinch of salt. It’s clear that now there’s a favourite, and people are just looking at that and making educated guesses so they can say they landed there first.
I’ve no doubt Mikel is front of the queue at this time, but I have my doubts that he’s signed, sealed and delivered.
We’ll see though, the embarrassing desperation people have to be seen as ITK is quite incredible.
One article that really did get my back up was the one doing the rounds on Goal.com. Again, clearly there aren’t many journo’s who have an inside line on this deal, the club are playing their cards close to their chest on this one, so that either leads to people saying little or simply making it up.
Goal went all in, stating that not only had Arteta been hired, he was actively culling coaching staff and was responsible for the firing Head of Medical Services, Colin Lewin. Because he didn’t like him!
I went on a bit of rampage about this story yesterday, and they’ve changed it. It was really sloppy journalism that was sensationalising a manager who likely hasn’t even signed on yet.
Just to be clear. The new manager will have ZERO say on the clubs choice for medical services unless we’re hiring an elite manager with the qualifications to have a valid opinion. The club did not get rid of an all-conquering manager, simply to replace him with another all-conquering manager. Outside that, does anyone really think someone desperate for a new role would be making demands to sack a well-liked club medic as his first port of call, based on feelings? It’d not only be daft, it’d be incredibly petty.
The person in charge of firing anyone in the performance arm of the business is Darren Burgess. I’m not sure of exact reporting lines, but my guess is he’ll be feeding directing into Raul. The Spanish Sporting Director type figure will be in control of that side of the club. He’ll likely be responsible for hiring in the coaches. Our new manager will likely have a selection of names he can bring with him, but the team will be small. The club need to own the setup, so when a manager goes, he doesn’t bring the whole backroom staff with him.
Sven will also have his own group of staff that report into him, I’d guess mostly scouts and maybe some data analysts.
The club is moving towards a new model, and that’s been clear from last October. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, we’ve been writing about how proper clubs build out their infrastructures and we appear to be following a more modern path of decentralised power.
I find it really poor that when your one job is writing about football, you still can’t get it right.
One person who does get it right is David Ornstein, he wrote yesterday that the deal isn’t done yet, and there’s still an outside hope that Allegri is in the running. He also made note that all candidates will have been told of the transfer targets, and have agreed with them. As someone pointed out, when you’re looking for a new job, you’re unlikely to say, ‘fuck that mate, those names are shite.’ The rumours are we’re looking at a centre back, a holding midfielder and a world class keeper.
Another agenda item I want to quash is that the club knew they were going to hire Arteta, they’ve just gone through the process of speaking to people for the sake of it. Firstly, we haven’t hired anyone yet, secondly, I think that’s another guess from people disappointed in the prospect of hiring in a manager they know nothing about.
Remember this, United have hired 3 exceptionally experienced manager. Two out and out winners. One being Jose Mourinho. They’ve spent £600m and they’re still shite, finishing a mile off the top of the table, playing garbage football, getting knocked out of the CL by Ben Yedder, not knowing how to play with Sanchez, Lukaku and Paul Pogba. A ‘big name’ is a feeling of security, it’s not a guarantee off success.
Anyway, a fairly short post today. I’ll be back tomorrow, in the meantime, just remember, 16-year-olds on Twitter do not have a direct line into the club, insiders have been so off the mark the whole way through this process, so take their exclusives with a pinch of bollocks, and don’t believe anything that says people are already being fired by a manager who hasn’t been signed.
SEE YOU LATER x
@LeGrove Pedro check this out pic.twitter.com/NhKVJB1Kd6
— franchise (@soleeloquy) May 19, 2018
Bankz is here for the Tr4phy again
1st
BOOOOOOM
4
Tr4phy
groovedaddy you’re cancelled.
You can’t keep up.
You’re old like Wenger, it’s time to hang the boots.
DM where arth thou?
Arteta Knows!
So close…yet so far.
Number9
Where you all at
The bookies have closed on Arteta right or else he’s heavily odds-on? That’s all you need to know. Fact is Ivan spent years prisong the club away from Wenger’s fingers and he’s not now going to risk losing it again to an experienced manager. I just hope our decision is not based on people’s ego and persona battles. Rumours and strong for Arteta and Henry as Asst. Something about Henry involved at anything above coach level makes me extremely nervous. The guy is a club legend and has great insights in the game but carries with him huge arrogance which… Read more »
Don’t know if this has been brought up yet or not, however the new manager should enjoy a pretty full squad for all of preseason. Ozil, Welbz, Elneny, Iwobi, Ospina, and Xhaka are the only first team/squad players that are going to Russia. Like most of the squad, these players divide the opinion of most fans. Mkhi, PEA, Laca, Ramsey (if not sold), Mustafi, Bellerin, Mustafi, Kolasinac, and Jack (if he signs the deal) will all be at London Colney for the start of preseason. When it comes to potential signings, Seri won’t be in Russia since the Ivory Coast… Read more »
Whichever hairless pussy we bring in as primus inter pares, let’s please Ensure we have a great defensive coach and a world class keeping coach (didn’t Cech get his own personal one as the club options were awful?) I would happily welcome Keown back as he got results last time he was there. Good thing about Keown is he doesn’t seem to have the ego of a Vieira, Henry, Adams…
Mark, that’s an optimistic way of looking at the fact that our squad are largely not good enough (or are too old) to be playing at the WC, or else they are playing for joke countries like Wales.
A ‘big name’ is a feeling of security, it’s not a guarantee off success….
That really got to me .. good write up as always
Pedro here you go again, and when your wrong you just make excuses. I cant fathom the reasons for hiring arteta.
Its a risk and with risk most comes consequences. If this fails gazidis must resign, immedeately!!!!!!
Moray-I get that our squad is crap. I’m fully aware of it! And like you stated, some of our so called best players are from non-powerhouse footballing nations ie Armenia, Gabon, Wales, and Bosnia. I just think that the new manager can’t really use the World Cup as an excuse since the majority of the squad weren’t good enough to make it. Wenger definitely would have used it as an excuse.
Another agenda item I want to quash is that the club knew they were going to hire Arteta, they’ve just gone through the process of speaking to people for the sake of it. Firstly, we haven’t hired anyone yet, secondly, I think that’s another guess from people disappointed in the prospect of hiring in a manager they know nothing about. By all accounts it seems we haven’t even interviewed the likes of Carlo or Enrique for example so this idea of the best candidate and a thorough process seems unlikely. Pretty obvious we decided on Mikel very quickly. Cause otherwise… Read more »
Manchester united has failed under jose??? Are you for real pedro??? Uafa cup and they finished 6 in his first season and 2 in this one so how is that a fail???
Your just following the masses because u dont like him, well i’ll tell u what, they will challenge or even win the epl next season unlike us who mite be scrapping for 10 with mikel freaking arteta
Whatever happens .. whoever Arsenal board brings in , I will support him . Just as Pedro pointed out , no manager guarantees success unless you are Pep of course ..
I just hope Arteta is not overwhelmed by the big games when we need a real coach to change the game from the bench .
Mark, exactly. And the irony is that the guys who are likely to go will most likely be moved on the summer….hopefully at least we won’t have a manager who spends the whole summer being paid to commentate for French tv.
Marko, I think Arteta had Gazidis at “here is a nice watch for you”
@Moray.. those days are over with Wenger .. lol .. those days when our Manager should preparing for next season , he would rather be a pundit on tv.
The board main aim right now is to unify the fan base and get those emirates seats filled up again , though it might be hard for Arteta sighing to solve that cos he divides opinion already .
Perfect scenario to make everyone happy even the newly formed Arteta fanboys would be Carlo on a two year contract with Arteta as assistant
Moray-Well technically we are paying our old manager while he spends the summer commentating!
I really think that we’ve got capable players that could thrive with the right coaching. We’ve also got complete dross that needs to be sold. With that said, for the first time in 9 years I’m actually feeling optimistic about the new season.
Idowu, Is like to think if Arteta comes in most fans would get behind him. He’s divisive mainly because of his inexperience compared with the managers our rivals are courting. But there’s no benefit for us to get on his back once he starts, The guy has a huge job to turn the club around. He realistically needs to replace 30% of our squad over the next year and 50% over the next three. At the same time he needs to get us back in the CL soonest. He also needs to give us back a recognisable style of play… Read more »
Whoever the manager is, we need to win the big games against our rivals… and not just go on an unbeaten streak when the pressure is off.
If Arteta really wants to demonstrates he is real change we need to see real results.
Mark. Good point. Wenger’s made a fortune out of the club and continues to do so. That wiggy cunt of an owner has a lot to answer for. Hopefully his Son is more clued up, though that’s not saying much
Leeds, we need discernible tactics and a team coached to understand how to play to them. For too Long we’ve drifted into a way of playing that really cannot be categorised. For even longer we’ve failed to consider the opponent or react to what is happening on the pitch. Football really is not rocket science. It gives me some hope that Arteta should be able to manage the coaching side of things okay. Motivationally, let see. He captained a shit Everton side and a failing Arsenal side and wasn’t good enough to play for the senior international side. Maybe that… Read more »
Do you not hate it when a player questions the offside? Shouldn’t you be able to spell the word you are complaining about…I think so.
Funny how united and Jose are dissed pretty much daily but…they won the Europa (we didn’t) and they are up for the FA Cup.
We should start looking at clubs on our level: Everton, Burnley etc before dissing the big clubs.
This is why getting Arteta is more akin to us than perhaps city or united.
If last August someone would’ve written here that Sanchez and Giroud would play in the FA Cup Final, we’d all have agreed except……..
I hear you, Pedro…but I think Arteta is 90% sealed unless Allegri has a sudden change of heart.
I’m not sure if you’ve reference Jardim in previous posts, of the top of my head, but if You haven’t already, why haven’t Arsenalspoken or at least made him an offer.
He has Arteta youthfulness (not to say Allegri is old), he knows what it is to be a winner and compete, so why isn’t he been seriously considered?!
Arteta hype hahahah…I’m yet to speak to an Arsenal fan who thinks this is a good idea, and I live a stone throw from Highbury.
I do understand that there are morons at the Club and amongst supporters who are desperate to throw one final insult at Wenger, hence this propaganda push that Wenger should be replaced with someone who NEVER managed a game of football EVER, but what an insult to our intelligence to even contemplate idea that someone like Arteta would seriously challenge PROPER managers like Pep, Mourhino, Klopp, Pochetino, Benitez, Sean Dyche etc…
And for the record, I wanted Wenger out since April 2008.
Alexis Sanchez is so poor. I’m glad he no longer plays for us.
Fans in N7 don’t want Arrêta as our new coach.
*Arteta
Someone get Alexis a piano. He moved to Utd to win the Champs League and all the big trophies, joining the biggest club in the world. Losing the FA Cup. Ha.
Still think Conte would be our best choice, for one he has experience of the premier league that none of the other so called candidates have.
Alexis Sanchez is so poor
Actually he’s quite rich. Sanchez hasn’t been that bad today.
Nice post Pedro. The only part that makes no sense is that Arsenal would inform all the managerial candidates of their transfer targets. I just can’t see us disclosing that unless the candidate is locked in. That’s pretty confidential information particluarly to disclose to someone like Arteta who if he doesn’t take the job would end back at City. (not that City have to worry about us too much right now). Besides, the whole point of having this manager structure is that the manager shouldn’t need to approve the signings but more agree that any signings will fit into his… Read more »
I don’t love it, but it’s so much easier to root for Chelsea in this final. It’s not even close. Giroud over Alexis. Conte over Mourinho.
Phil Jones and Ashley Young both in the England squad. Complete shit.
Yes, Chelsea the lesser of two evils for me this afternoon
Chelsea vs ManU: now I know how Klansmen feel watching heavy-weight boxing 🙂
Oh not the Man United quips again.
Get a grip. Fvck them.
Keep on refering to them all the time.
Anyone would think we are huge rivals of them.
Who is this world class keeper then?
Is one on the market?
80th minute and Giroud hasn’t touch the ball, at least not that I remember.
No big deal, we all know that a top 4 finish is more important than winning the cup nowadays.
Kante and Matic are absolutely brilliant.
@Ishola
Man united are a shit team when u compare their performances with the money they have spent
It’s not a quip, Pedro was just stating a fact.
They only finished second cos the EPL was poor this season, too many shit teams
Well that was a crap final. Jose can give away his medal……
Nice to see Fabregas play the whole 90 but without Hazard…….
it’s sad that no one bats an eyelid when Arsenal are criticized or made fun of here but most come out fighting once you mention Chelsea, Man United or Spurs
Receding
Pedro goes on about them continuously.
We all know they are a cvnting club but it’s embarrassing to be obsessed by them.
They are not even proper rivals.
What are you going on about Receding?
I have taken the piss out of Man United as much as others on here.
It’s the obsession with them that is silly.
Danny
“Well that was a crap final”
Poo final.
Two teams that are failing at the top tier end.
Giroud finishing 5th with a FA Cup winners medal second year running.
Ishola
But they still find a way to beat us.
United are a mess.
@Ishola
He just used their plight to make his case over experienced managers not being a guarantee for success
And before someone mentions the Europa league, go and check the teams they played and the absolutely shocking football they played to win that trophy
You know where his head is at now, he is selling Arteta
‘They are not even proper rivals.’
The League position kind of flatteres United. They have been very very ordinary. Liverpool and Spurs were better. Conte didn’t care enough really this season.
Receding Hairline
“He just used their plight to make his case over experienced managers not being a guarantee for success”
Well that’s not worth a jot is it.
We should be looking at the merits of Arteta not crowing about the failures of others.
“The League position kind of flatteres United. They have been very very ordinary. Liverpool and Spurs were better. Conte didn’t care enough really this season.”
Even die hard Man United fans are sick of how ordinary they look, he just lost a cup final to a manager who has mentally checked out since December
Receding Hairline
” And before someone mentions the Europa league, go and check the teams they played and the absolutely shocking football they played to win that trophy”
Second tier stuff. Just shows you. You can play “shocking” football and win the Europa League.
The amount of stick Sanchez is getting at united’s forum is unreal. They are calling him their worst signing
Pelligrini has just left his Chinese club
Next stop West Ham
Wonder why they didn’t go with the Shakhtar Donestk manager
Let’s be real, mourhino hasn’t performed at united.
It would be so foolish on Roman’s part to not do his best to retain Conte. The guy is a serial winner.
“Second tier stuff. Just shows you. You can play “shocking” football and win the Europa League.”
We lost that cup the day Athleti dropped down into the tournament
Irritating team to play against, Wenger’s babies didn’t stand a chance against them
I’d like to see Conte be a serial winner with Southampton.
Chelsea are serial winners without Conte.
Receding Hairline ”We lost that cup the day Athleti dropped down into the tournament Irritating team to play against, Wenger’s babies didn’t stand a chance against them” Did you see Robbie from Arsenal Fan TV interview Guillem Balague, hope I spelled his name wrong, after the first leg? Robbie kept asking him if Arsenal could get through to the final and he was very enthusiastic about Arsenal. He kept on saying you were great tonight, you were great. Then Robbie presses him for a proper answer to the question and Balague simply replies Atletico Madrid are not the team for… Read more »
Chelsea were poor and Man Utd dominated that Cup Final
“We lost that cup the day Athleti dropped down into the tournament”
Talk about stating the obvious lol
AKB
Arteta knows best
Allegri knows best
Ancelotti knows best
The Universe demands it.
We cannot escape the new constant that is the “AKB”.
I agree with Pedro that the club keeps their cards close to their chest. It is highly unlikely at this moment in time that anyone including the Board have been briefed. The only people I suspect who know what is going on are Messrs Gazidis, Sanllehi and Misintat. Noone else will know for sure what is going on until the management team have reached agreement with the candidate and then I suspect that they will report back to the Kroenke father and son. If the candidate likely to take the job is Arteta then I doubt that there will be… Read more »
Leicester City are about to sign up the perfect Bellerin replacement
Woodward will force feed Mourinho to the supporters for at least and 2 seasons.
Utd fans will have to establish a picket line outside OT.
I am gutted for Sanchez. He went to Man United and he’s won fuck all
cupset in Germany
Xhaka likes a comment stating soyuncu and sokratic is done on his instagram
http://www.thickaccent.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SW-29fxvsOif7o7FPXR-UyWWx_NtXVJ31_AK4Y1cGXk.jpg
Mike Sanz
@mikesanz19
If I told you a story about a footballer that went from dabbing with Lingard, to playing with Özil to then playing with arguably the greatest of all time, Messi, you would say that’s a beautiful rise to the top. Such a shame Alexis Sanchez did it backwards.
7:24 PM – May 19, 2018
1,804 1,006 people are talking about this
We needed a complete culture change. We had GG for years and then Wenger came in with a fresh new approach.
We needed the same change of ideas. Yes the Dortmand lad and the Barca lad have come in, they have made an impact already.
However they can’t do much on match day. On match day and on the training pitch and in the Managers office dealing with unsettled or rebellious divas, those two won’t be able to help Arteta. That would undermine Arteta. Arteta will have to deal with all that himself.
Sad times.
Sanchez will be gone in the summer next season
They will sell him
Cheap
https://metro.co.uk/2018/05/19/arsenal-hope-backroom-staff-choices-will-stop-fan-backlash-mikel-arteta-appointment-7559020/
If that’s true if they’re aware that the appointment will be met with opposition then why do it why take the risk? They’ll turn on them next. They’re supposed to be getting bums back in seats and getting the fans excited again.
Marko
Chill ……….
It will be cool
Arteta is the new coming we wanted anything but wenger
Hell do fine …..
Cazorla has signed for Villareal….
Sanchez has win nothing with United…true
However we haven’t won anything since he’s left so it’s nutlike we are doing better wiothoutnhim. He is the highest paid player in the league so he’s okay.
Why don’t you’ll take out the big chinkl of wood stuck in your eye first- Ozil earns big money too and does f*ck all too.
I don’t think he gives a F*ck about all the moaning that’s going on at Arsenal to be honest. He will have the first free summer in a long time and recharge for next season.
Bye Santi
Thanks for all the joy you brought and hope you get some more miles on your archilles tendon.
We can finally fill the spot with a player that will play.
***Sanchez had won***
**Sanchez has won nothing***. [third try) 🙂
To be brutally honest, Sanchez-watch should be the least of our worries.
We’re about to appoint Arteta as coach based on the fact he’s Pep’s #2 lol.
If and when he’s appointed I’ll get behind him, but I struggle to see how he’s favoured even over Jardim.
Not entirely with you on this one, Pedro. That’s if you are suggesting that big-name big-spending managers were considered – people like Allegri or Enrique, say. It was always going to be tier 2 or tier 3. I’d go further and say that Ivan’s comments – like ‘bold and brave’ – indicated his choice was tier 3. Of course, to be fair he must listen to the opinions of others, like Sven and Raul, hence the selection process. But it was a limited choice, nothing like the array we’ve been led to believe. Nothing wrong with being decisive, in fact… Read more »
“but I struggle to see how he’s favoured even over Jardim.”
I give you a clue : take a closer look to the pitcure of Pedro’s post… 😉
*picture
Here it comes the drip feeding the press is being ramped up: This from a Spud’s fan in the comments: “Dumbfounded at the potential appointment and I’m a spurs fan! Seriously do the board think a manager with no experience what so ever will bring stability?” “Mikel Arteta will demand full control over transfers as Arsenal prepare to unveil Spaniard as new boss next week” Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5749021/Mikel-Arteta-demand-control-transfers-Arsenal-boss.html#ixzz5G0TjwRrC Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook “‘Mikel was born to play, but even more, he was born to manage’: With Arteta on the verge of becoming Arsenal boss, his… Read more »
Nice post tony
The morons in the hierarchy probably think Arteta is going to replicate the first 7 years of Wenger’s reign because he was also a novice when he came to Arsenal. But the football landscape was very different then. I’m really struggling to get my head around the idea that all you need to do to qualify to manage a club like Arsenal is stand next to successful manager for a couple of years. How can anyone at Arsenal possibly think so low of the manager’s position and influence? I mean, don’t we actually want to compete? Don’t we want to… Read more »
Just to note that Wenger was not a novice at all so if they have ideas along that line they are very mistaken.
It’s just that English football fans were very insular at the time and that’s why they were unaware of Wenger’s past football management before coming to Arsenal.
This appointment has disappointed a few because it is seen as a bit “in-house”. Some wanted a clean break from the past and a new manager with no links. Of course there are others that very much like this notion of “in-house”.
I used the term on purpose. Grampus Nagoya is tantamount to being a novice.
And it’s not the idea of “in-house” that disappoints, it’s the idea of “inexperience”.
Six days ago the Telegraph reported that Bouldy was waiting to see who the next manager is going to be before he makes a decision whether to stay or not. A legend in his playing days and a gutless wonder as an assistant manager. Why are we letting Bould dictate his position to the club? Is it to save money? If he’s that unsure, then he should go. On our defensive record with Bould, he brings new meaning to the word “underachieving” . Adams has proved not to be a manager, but I’d take him as a defensive coach; ditto… Read more »
Ha-ha….three days after Pedro gives thumbs-up to Bayern appointing inexperienced manager (in despetate attempt to sell us an idea of Arteta), they lose Cup final 3:1..
Yeah but people only knew which club he came directly from rather than his stint in France prior.
Inexperience is the biggest concern yes but still when you have what can be seen as “in-house” appointment there is a nagging doubt that weaknesses that have been prevalent for so long on the playing side will be completely swept away.
The “Arsenal Way” is failing at this time.