Life after Wenger | Ornstein: Arsenal set to appoint Unai Emery

[krengon]

Hi, I think some of you want to know more about Unai Emery. During his 2 years at PSG, this is the most complete interview you could find.
Here it is . (too long for a comment post, don't know how the image system works here)

I did my best, sorry in advance if there are english mistakes. If anyone want a pdf version, just ask.

Very interesting read, thanks for taking the time to translate it and post it here, appreciated!

Emery comes across as very intelligent and self-aware, both in terms of his strengths and weaknesses. I liked what he said about moments deciding your destiny, it's something I've been going on about for years.

Also liked what he had to say about his preferred playing style and adapting to his team and what ever the role requires of him, 4-4-2 might be an option for us after all.

 

[Garrincha]

I feel coming off a league title is underplayed. Even if its the French league & with PSG. Will carry respect in the dressing room.

This is not a Chelsea or United we have hardly any players with league titles.

 

[Marmaduke]

Emery is a good coach, this is proven. He hasn't won everything under the sun but you can't doubt its a good choice all things considered. Touchel wouldn't guarantee us any more success and ex Arsenal players such as Arteta, Henry, or Vierra, as much as its romantic, is a pretty silly decision to make given our situation and stingy board.

His style fits Arsenal in many ways and there is a good case to be made that getting in a pragmatic coach such as Simeone or Allegri or whomever might reverse 2 decades worth of investment under Wenger.

Point is, you can certainly argue there could have been a better manager theoretically but Emery is nonetheless a good signing that most fans should be content about (for the moment).

 

[carlito'sway]

Tbh only the Sun reported that he had had an interview fortnight and impressed the board, I'm still not sure if it was true.

This fortnight interview is just a spin. Would be curious to know the alleged dates and location of this interview and look at with Emeri activities with PSG during that time. it doesn't really pass the smell test.

 

[Vinci]

Snubbed by Arteta

Seriously though Emery would be good for at least one thing though: Winning the EL, because that seems to be his specialty!

He had an excellent PSG team against Real Madrid this year and fu¢ked it up with his team selections in the first leg and last year he had Barcelona in the ropes (leading them 4-0 FFS!) and his cowardly tactics (plus some dubious refereeing as it is with the two big Spanish ****) cost PSG a golden chance.

A mediocre manager for a mediocre club, seems like a good match!

Thanks for your input.

Why are you even here and not on a Bayern forum?

 

[ArtetaCognition]

I'm not saying he should be completely devoid of blame for it - but anyone who is laughing at him simply because of the 1-6 loss to Barcelona really need to re-watch the game. Barca's first goal was a scrappy header. Their second goal was an OG after outrageously poor defensive decision making. Third goal was a penalty after a PSG player slipped and the referee bounced on any opportunity. Fourth goal was a free kick that shouldn't have been given. Fifth was a penalty that shouldn't have been given. Sixth goal was a poor one to concede.

On top of that, PSG created multiple chances all evening that their players didn't take advantage of. Cavani hit the post before scoring. After PSG scored (at 3-1) they missed three 1 on 1's with which their players were very lackadaisical - I'd have to rewatch it to be sure.. but I'm almost certain in at least one of these chances, an easy square ball to the side of the keeper were ignored that clearly would have finished Barca off.

As a manager, sometime there is nothing you can do and that defeat was as symptomatic of PSG's club culture and overpaid primadonnas as much as it was Emery's management.

 

[tap-in]

No one can doubt this man is a competent and perfectly ok candidate to manage us right now, because 'right now', this is about as much as we can entice. Yes we have to be optimistic and tell ourselves that we're bringing Emery in to steady the ship, and all those kind of phrases. We're saying those things because the truth is the managers we so badly need right now won't come to Arsenal because the club lacks ambition and doesn't want to invest.

This is a massive moment in Arsenal's history. This was the very point the club needed to make a huge statement, to say Arsenal do not belong in sixth place and to rot in the Europa League but our aspirations are to win the Premier League and Champions League. I appreciate that many others won't have this opinion and I completely respect that, but for me...we have blown this big time. We have confirmed to our competitors that we're second rate with this slightly underwhelming appointment. I just don't believe this man is special enough to overcome the handicaps that we face as a club that doesn't want to invest to rebuild in order to win the league. That has to be the goal, otherwise what's the point? That is what Arsenal are meant to be, a club that competes to win the league.

He may well be the best option of a bad bunch, which would tell you that we haven't been managed well at any level for the last few years. We've dithered, we haven't been dynamic, we haven't been ruthless enough when the chances that have arisen and better managers have gone to other clubs. We're paying a heavy price for our lack of our ambition and treading water whilst everyone else around us was swimming past and laughing. We're playing catch up now, but have left it a bit too long and have missed the golden opportunities.

It is what it is, we can't do anything but try get behind him and hope he can defy the odds and inspire the club to challenge for honours.

I agree and its sad to have it hammered home that this is the biggest statement we could make. We were all looking at top managers and hoping and preying but reality has reared its ugly head and slapped us all around the face. The current Arsenal is not what it was and with our current owner we are unlikely to be there again. Emery is a good appointment, much better than a manager who has proved nothing, he'll do a good job and maybe if all goes well we can get back to top 4 but that for now is our ceiling.

 

[Kingslayer]

Adeed a link to read it (in case you can't see images)

Thanks. Interesting stuff.

 

[A_G]

Only thing Arteta has going in his favor is that he has never coached and thus has no baggage, everything else is based on hearsay.

Exactly, people are just assuming the best about Arteta based on pure fantasy. I even saw someone claim Arteta plays a "no nonsense" style of football, I mean how can people even say that when he's never been a head coach or manager?

 

[al-Ustaadh]

Who the **** wants to play for Unai Emery? Good luck with selling that project.

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Who the **** wants to play for Unai Emery? Good luck with selling that project.

Neymar and Mbappe apparently.

 

[Kingslayer]

 

[carlito'sway]

Neymar and Mbappe apparently.

Not sure about that...The way they played this season, it seemed they could not care less who was the manager.

 

[Enz__]

Who the **** wants to play for Unai Emery? Good luck with selling that project.

It seems the alternative was Arteta....who in their right ****ing mind wants to play for Arteta? That project would have been much harder to sell.

 

[Penn_]

What’s Emery’s record with younger players?

 

[field442]

It seems the alternative was Arteta....who in their right ****ing mind wants to play for Arteta? That project would have been much harder to sell.

You’re replying to the president of the “Arteta for manager” lobby group.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

Neymar and Mbappe apparently.

Think money was more the option there.

 

[al-Ustaadh]

It seems the alternative was Arteta....who in their right ****ing mind wants to play for Arteta? That project would have been much harder to sell.

Much more excitement behind Arteta for me. Feel he would attract better players just based on reputation and pedigree. I'll support Emery but I don't see us getting the caliber of players we need to compete. Comes off like the seriously piss poor version of Allegri.

 

[Enz__]

Exactly, people are just assuming the best about Arteta based on pure fantasy. I even saw someone claim Arteta plays a "no nonsense" style of football, I mean how can people even say that when he's never been a head coach or manager?

What exactly is a "no nonsense" style of football? Are there really managers out there that have to turn to their players before a match and say "i want no nonsense from you lot today".

 

[HairSprayGooners]

Much more excitement behind Arteta for me. Feel he would attract better players just based on reputation and pedigree. I'll support Emery but I don't see us getting the caliber of players we need to compete. Comes off like the seriously piss poor version of Allegri.

What reputation and pedigree

He has as much pedigree as Alexis' dogs.