Former Gunner turned pundit names the man to manage Arsenal

Alan Smith urges Arsenal to make a move for former Gunner Mikel Arteta

Arsenal should look to hand their managerial role to the man that Manchester City want to replace Pep Guardiola, according to Smith.

Arsenal is currently searching for their next permanent manager after they fired Unai Emery last week.

The Spaniard had struggled to maintain the progress he achieved with the team last season and seemed to have lost touch with what to do next.

He has been replaced by Freddie Ljungberg, but the Swede is only there temporarily and Smith believes the club should make Mikel Arteta their next manager before Manchester City does.

Arsenal has been linked with moves for established managers like Max Allegri and Mauricio Pochettino, but Smith believes this is the time for them to trust a younger and more progressive manager.

“I would like them to be bold and go for a younger, more progressive manager,” Smith told Sky Sports News per the Express. “I’d like Mikel Arteta.

“I know a lot of Arsenal fans say, ‘He’s never been a manager. How could you do that? We need tried and trusted experience’.

“But I think he’s going to be a top manager quite shortly. If Arsenal don’t get him I think somebody else will.

“If he stays at Manchester City when Pep Guardiola steps down, he’ll be a stick on to takeover.

“From what you hear of his work at Man City, he takes so much of the training, the players respect him a great deal.

“I think he’s been responsible for improvements in Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling – so I think he is excellent.

“He’s got that Arsenal connection as well. He’d be my choice.”

Arteta would be popular among some Arsenal fans but not all. Not going by some of the comments on this site. His inexperience managing a top club does count against him. I mean, why him and not Freddie Ljungberg long term?

Whoever Arsenal go for next they have to make sure it is the right choice. They can not afford any more mistakes.

14 Comments

    1. Of course, Poch and Rogers would be a good choice. But it is unlikely to get Rogers and there are reports that Pochetino has refused to take the Arsenal Managerial Job.

  1. Arteta is the right man for the job….. worked under Wenger a bit too…..the team is being rebuilt and I think he can move Arsenal into champions league participation consistently

  2. For all those who say No Thanks!
    Why not Arteta?
    Guardiola, Mourinho, Zidane were never 1st team managers before their big breaks,..look what they have all achieved..
    Guardiola and Zidane managed their clubs respective B teams..
    Mourinho was an interpreter before his Porto job..

    I mean experience has to start from somewhere right?
    Arteta isn’t my number one choice, but i definitely wouldn’t rule him out.. cos something tells me we may end up regretting not getting him.

    1. Precisely this: ‘something tells me we may end up regretting not getting him.’

      We always move for players when they’re already losing value because we ‘discover’ them too late.
      We’re about to do the same thing if we pass up on Arteta. You see more and more people in the know praising Arteta and people here compare him to Ljungberg. Why would you think Ljungberg could be a top manager? Based on learning from whom? Bouldy?

      Come on, Arteta is the only mid-season candidate who has the potential for greatness. So what if he fails? Arsenal is a big club. Even if we drift towards mid-table quality, we can ascend to top 6 in a year and top 4 in 2. If Spurs could do it who are and will always be a smaller club and did it on a smaller budget…?

  3. I badly want Rodgers but would take Arteta gladly as the best available who would actually take the job, UNDER KROENKE!

  4. First Smith wanted Mourinho,then poch,then Rodgers now Arteta and in few days time it will be someone else!

  5. I don’t want bloody arteta, we dont need a Pep graduate we need someone who can build a team with a decent defensive unit. Arteta is destined, i hope for City, please. I never liked him as an Arsenal player and i don’t see him as the right fit for us.

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