Arteta admits he loves the job but expects “bad news” every morning

The Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has given one of his longest and most expansive press conferences ahead of today’s game against Leeds, and one subject was the difficulties of managing Arsenal during this pandemic crisis, not to mention the daily problems that come with trying to manage 30-odd players and to try getting them to win two football games every week!

Here is Arteta’s very interesting thoughts on what he has to face every single morning…

“At the moment in the actual context [of Covid-19] it makes it that way [all-consuming]. I feel so privileged to be where I am because I love so much what I do, I love to be sitting representing this football club and having the opportunity to spend time with these players and staff.

“But I think it is becoming a job where every time you are resolving issues and resolving problems. If you get shocked by that every day, then energy-wise it is very consuming. I come in now and I am expecting something to come in through the door and give me bad news and having to react quickly because I know it is coming right now. I try to prepare myself and my mood in the morning to say, ‘Okay, let’s see what we face today and let’s go for it.’”

So then he has to make instant decisions, and then analyses WHY he made those decisions! So he has to be very resilient? “Absolutely, and how you bounce back, how you navigate through difficult moments and how convinced you are about what you are doing and at the end of the day, how you judge yourself on the decisions you make, and where those decisions are coming at the end from you. Is it a real feeling, do you do it for someone else, or for any other opinion, or do you think it is the right thing for the club, the players or the staff.”

This all sounds like an extremely complicated job with an incredible amo0unt of stress. But I imagine he must be getting very well paid to put up with it!