Videos are circulating online of Mikel Arteta driving his wife and young child away from the Emirates on Sunday.
Most who have attended our stadium a few times know the perfect location to wait for players after a game in their cars. Some players will quickly wind down their window and take a selfie and/or sign their autograph while waiting at traffic lights.
Yet following our victory against Wigan, Mikel Arteta has been filmed gesturing to a grown man that he wasn’t going to be winding down his window. Strangely, this didn’t discourage the gentleman, who started to plead with our manager to sign a shirt for his son (who wasn’t with him). Even when fellow Gooners encouraged the man to leave it, he carried on begging till the Arteta family were able to drive away.
Arteta unwinding with his family
It’s easy for some to look at this scene and say it’s another example of football being out of touch with the modern fan. Here’s a millionaire refusing to do something that would take seconds. My own opinion is that the Spaniard is a human being who works in a high-pressure environment where his attention to detail is obsessive. That is essentially him finishing work for the day and wanting to switch off and unwind with his family.
I have been fortunate to meet our boss. He was with his spouse, but stopped to talk and take a photo with me. The difference is that there were not thousands of people around who would have bombarded the 42-year-old the moment it was clear he was willing to interact.
Avoiding possible abuse
I can understand any father not wanting their children to be subjected to a group surrounding them. Ask Granit Xhaka and Mesut Özil what happens when you give up your time to interact. You get verbally abused with your loved ones sitting next to you.
After that, I know for a fact that all Arsenal staff were advised to keep windows rolled up.
While it’s a shame the minority ruin it for the rest, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Should Arteta have signed the shirt?
Dan Smith
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He should have signed it, small gesture would have had a massive impact on the lad and his family. The man paid good money to be there, seeing him beg, it hurts. Would have taken a few seconds to sign.
As for Mikel, he did what he felt best at that moment.
Wish both men the best in their respective lives and each should hold no grudge or regret.
He followed club protocol, stop making a mountain out of a molehill. I’ve witnessed the harassment of players driving away from the Emirates and whilst this was apparently an innocent fan, someone banging on your window when stuck in traffic with your wife in the car, his action is understandable.
I don’t blame Arteta, he was with his wife & kids, and that could have been a local nutter who might have sprayed or thrown something into the car. There are conditions and ways to sign autographs.
Exactly
No!.
On the face of it the bloke looked like a harmless chap trying to get Arteta to sign the shirt, problem is there are so many nutters around Arteta couldn’t take the chance, he could have had a knife in his pocket or something like that, it’s a sad reflection of the world we live in these days.
@Dave
RealTalk 👍🏾
Arteta did the right thing. He kept his wife and son safe.
If he’d have rolled down his window and signed the shirt for the man, then how many other fans wouldve rightly ran to his car? How about consideration towards other road users infront/behind him?
He had to think about his family – plus the other road users too.
And who’s to say that fan wasn’t intending to see the shirt for profit?
Even tho they are high profile people, we need to treat them with respect – especially when they have family and children with them.
Spot on
More interested in who would actually want his autograph !😂
Fan has a right to ask for a signature and MA has a right to refuse for whatever reason he sees fit
Although he’s in the public eye, there is a time and a place for autograph hunters. And that’s not when Arteta is with his family and trying to drive home.
Also, had he done it for one, the car could have been swamped. He does have a home to go to you know. 🤷♂️