“This club has a special aura”Mikel Arteta celebrated the extension of his long-term contract with Arsenal until 2030 by looking back over the seven years he has spent on the Emirates Stadium benchArteta gave an interview to “The Athletic”, in which he spoke about his journey with Arsenal.When he took the job in 2019, Arteta decided to change everything. “I turned the office upside down and put everything on the floor: computers, laptops, cables… Then I gathered everyone and said: if you want me to help you enjoy your profession, you have two minutes to tidy this place up and at least be ready to work together”.”This is just the beginning,” he added. “It is something we have to practise daily. Whatever we want to achieve, we have to do it together. I cannot do it on my own. The problem we face is much deeper, but the opportunity is limitless”.Next matchesARSPremier League10 Oct 202619:30LEEARSChampions League14 Oct 202603:00LILThe gamble could have cost him dearly. “This could have been the end of my coaching career, because if everything had carried on as it was, I would no longer have had a job,” he said.The Spanish manager continued: “What I decided on the day I accepted this wonderful opportunity was that I would give my life, my soul, all my knowledge and the best of my abilities to achieve a dream: to connect the pillars of this club from top to bottom”.Arteta’s revolution took shape with the Premier League title after 22 years. “It was not just a trophy. It was a moment we will remember for the rest of our lives,” he said.Arsenal’s defeat in the Champions League finalArteta also recalled the defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.”I still carry the mark of that defeat, as Arsène says,” he said. “That poison is still running through my veins. It must stay there because it is how you learn, and it may be a great motivation for me and for everyone”.He went on: “There is an element of class, of behaviour, of light, of spirit. It is something hard to put into words, but this club has a special aura. It has an energy that draws you in, captures your heart and leaves a mark. I feel there is a lot still to be done and that this is just the beginning”.Most striking of all is the daily routine Arteta devises to surprise his players. “This creativity stems from the work we do, and above all from paying attention to what the players need.. What are they looking for? We have been together for seven years, and I love them to feel it, when they walk into the building, and to ask themselves: right, what is today’s programme?.. Arteta is staying here”.
