- 6 hours ago
091026
London Colney
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previews their match at home to Leeds in the Premier League
London Colney
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previews their match at home to Leeds in the Premier League
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SportsTranscript
00:18Good afternoon, everyone.
00:19Afternoon, hello.
00:21Just a bit of housekeeping.
00:23We'll kick off with the as live, as always.
00:25What did you say?
00:25Housekeeping.
00:26Housekeeping, yeah.
00:27Okay.
00:32We'll kick off with the as live, and then we'll go into the 10.30 barcode tonight.
00:36So if everyone's ready to back, we'll kick off with Gary from start.
00:40I'm a bit weak for you, but it's really beautiful for everybody involved because of the big story
00:44surrounding Manchester City.
00:46We're trying to ask all Premier League managers, obviously you're a senior Premier League manager,
00:51your reaction to the situation we find now started at the moment.
00:55The appeal is pending, but guilty so far.
00:57Well, yes, I fully understand the question, but obviously I think it's very important
01:04that we respect the process.
01:06I think the timelines, and it's still an ongoing process that is not resolved because it's
01:14been appealed, and my position, I think the close position is not to make any further comments
01:20until this is fully resolved.
01:22The football issue, just finally on this, not the legal side of it, but the football side
01:27of it.
01:28They're obviously looking like they're going to be, again, your biggest rivals in the Premier
01:32League title.
01:33Is all the noise going on around the football team potentially going to make their type of
01:38challenge a bit more difficult, or would you inspire them to give it even more?
01:42I don't know.
01:43I don't know.
01:43That's something that's not in our hands.
01:44In our hands, it's the way we have prepared, since all the internationals are back, to be
01:48in the best possible condition, to be better than Leeds tomorrow and beat them.
01:53And that's where the focus has been.
01:55Congratulations.
01:56There's been a big couple of weeks of you in your contract.
01:59You're going to be here over ten years now.
02:02We're having a chance to speak to you personally.
02:04How do you feel about that?
02:07Well, extremely honoured.
02:09My family and I, I think we are very grateful to continue to enjoy this unbelievable ride that
02:16started almost seven years ago, and I loved, again, not the outcome, because when there
02:26are two parties and you have to resolve a situation, I said from the beginning that both
02:32the club and I wanted the same thing, but I loved the manner that it was handled.
02:36I think it's really important.
02:37And I always say that when you are negotiating and when you are trying to figure out the future,
02:43the most important thing is at the end when you are about to sign the deal, looking at
02:48everybody in the room and seeing some smiley faces and excitement in their eyes.
02:53And that's what I gather from Stan and Josh, especially, and then from Rich, for James,
02:59for Andrea, of course, that was there, and then obviously the staff of the players.
03:04And that's it.
03:05And now you have to end the ride every single day to continue to be at this level, sitting
03:10in this chair and making the most out of it.
03:13Things go according to plan, so it's going to be at least 10, 11 years you've been here.
03:18There's lots of talk about the word dynasty.
03:21Is that the way you see it?
03:23It's an ongoing process.
03:25Yes, but it's something that you have to earn daily, as I said.
03:29And we know what the level is right now.
03:32We know where the standards land.
03:33We know where the expectations are.
03:35But the good thing is the level of enthusiasm, passion and energy is even higher.
03:41And that's what we want to accomplish all together.
03:43And that's the opportunity ahead of us.
03:45You've already won a big trophy, came close to the other big trophy.
03:49But it's your proudest achievement, what you've done in terms of the fans and the club.
03:54The term broken has been used, not by you but by others, about how the club was when you arrived.
03:59And you've mended it.
04:00Is that your proudest achievement?
04:01Yes, in the manner that we've done it all together.
04:04And everybody feeling part of something that is very, very connected right now.
04:11And then the club has a very clear identity and ambition and a pathway where we want to go.
04:17And I think that's very, very important as well.
04:19It's final on the contract from me.
04:21You could go on and on and on.
04:24In ten years' time, for example, you'll be younger than Unai Marie is right now.
04:29In 20 years' time, you'll be a year older than Jose Mourinho or David Mourinho.
04:34Younger than Karl Lachowski.
04:35Three years younger in 20 years than Arsene was when he left.
04:40So 20 more years from the counter?
04:43It's today and hopefully tomorrow.
04:46And this is how we have to live this job.
04:50And as I said, I think what you have to do is enjoy the journey.
04:56I think it's the most important thing and probably the biggest lesson that I had over the last seven years.
05:01Because the biggest gift that I had throughout this period has been the people that is around me,
05:08that has been around me to make me feel loved and allow me to enjoy what I do.
05:14The big eight now as well, that injury update.
05:17The list of names seems to be getting a bit longer, which is a bit of a worry.
05:21I'm sure some of those are fine.
05:22But in terms of Declan Rice, he's had his minutes managed, his load managed.
05:26Is he OK for tomorrow?
05:28Yeah, we have to manage him because he's been with a few issues since he's come back from the World
05:34Cup.
05:34And we know the amount of games that he's played in the last three years.
05:38It was a sensible thing to do.
05:39And yeah, hopefully tomorrow he's available and some others that as well are in doubt.
05:46Esri came back early.
05:48I came back early.
05:49He's always came back early.
05:50What's the last one?
05:51Well, we came back because he had a muscular injury.
05:54So I spoke to Jurgen and immediately they sent the player back as is normal.
06:00Esri, because he's been carrying some issues as well.
06:02And we had good communication with the England camp about that.
06:07And who was the other one?
06:10I've got Chollis.
06:12Chollis.
06:12And Chollis because he has a muscle injury and he's going to be out, I think, for a few weeks.
06:17So he's the worst player?
06:19Yeah, he's not available yet.
06:21And Kapi and Moskera back in?
06:24Yeah, they are both available.
06:25They did incredibly well to be available for the Brighton game.
06:29We decided not to use them at the end, especially in the manner that we had to play the last
06:34few minutes.
06:35But they are both available.
06:37I mean, white is available as well.
06:40I need to confirm.
06:42Congratulations again.
06:45In these seven years, what's been the biggest lesson that you've learned about yourself?
06:55That probably you put a lot of focus on the things that you need to do or you need to
07:02help to do
07:03to transform the football club to the vision of the idea that you have.
07:08And the reality is that within that period, there is a huge personal transformation as well
07:12that is needed in order to get what you want to get.
07:16And it's probably been one of the most fascinating things because you don't do that by yourself, but you do
07:21it with the people that are, as I said, next to you.
07:24And I'm very, very lucky to have the people that I have next to me.
07:27And if you could go back to the Mikel that arrived here when you saw the team coming out of
07:33the car, what would you say to him?
07:36Go for it, you know, so don't even doubt, but I think it's natural.
07:42That fear that it's something unknown for you is the first time you're going to do it.
07:48It's huge.
07:49It comes with so much responsibility, but you never know.
07:55But if you feel it's the right thing to do and the purpose and the reason why you do it
08:00is right, I think it's worth taking the risk and going for it.
08:04Looking ahead to tomorrow against Leeds, you've had a few weeks to reflect on the dust against Brighton.
08:11Now that the dust has settled, how do you feel it?
08:14Well, the pain is still there in the tummy and tomorrow we certainly have to play with that because it
08:22was a lesson for us.
08:23It was a lot to learn from that game, especially when you don't hit sets and basics in a football
08:29match, especially against a really good Brighton side.
08:34You become almost not recognizable, you know, and it can happen.
08:40But it's been more about learning from who we are and how thin the line is from being exceptional and
08:47to become very average.
08:48And that's a reality.
08:50But as well, just realizing that with the difficult context that we have with all the internationals that we had,
08:56what we've done in the first 18 weeks, I think it's been remarkable.
09:00But a big attention because things change very quickly.
09:06They do change very quickly and the Leeds are in an incredible position, they're unbeaten.
09:11I'm not sure many would have expected that and they've conceded one goal fewer than Arsenal.
09:18Are you surprised by the positive start by them and what do you expect from them?
09:21When I watch their games, no.
09:23And I think they fully deserve where they are because they've earned it.
09:28And they are there because I think they merit with a lot of great things that they've done throughout matches
09:34to be better than the opponent.
09:36And we know their qualities.
09:38We talked to them in the last two days and we are fully ready for it.
09:43Good luck.
09:44Ian.
09:45Hi, Miko.
09:46How are you?
09:46Very good, thank you.
09:48It's been a long international break.
09:50Fans have been screaming out for Premier League football to return.
09:54What is your message tomorrow?
09:55Because 12.30 can be a fun time to play Premier League.
09:5912.30 is great.
10:00We've been three weeks with no football for us.
10:03I don't know, the internationals, I don't care without club football.
10:08We play at the Emirates in front of our people.
10:10The way and the atmosphere that we have created in recent months has been unbelievable.
10:16And we need to make sure that we start by creating that.
10:20And I'm sure our supporters will be very excited towards the team play.
10:24You love giving a message to the fans.
10:27You really care about giving a message and telling them, asking them for their support.
10:33So, this is not IMD or the players.
10:35But the last two weeks, they would have spoken about the Man City situation.
10:40And some of them might be complacent.
10:41And I think, well, we might be going, maybe we have to win the league this year.
10:45Because who knows what?
10:46I think it might be in the city and we can win it anyway.
10:49What's your message to them talking in the pubs and talking on the way to the game tomorrow
10:54to make sure they start, but not just for tomorrow but for the polls?
10:57My message is very clear that we have pain in the tummy for what happened in Brighton
11:01and it's on us as well to get the pain that they still feel out of it.
11:06It's our responsibility and we need to give to them now.
11:10Regarding your contract, congratulations by the way.
11:13When you first came here, you didn't manage anywhere else.
11:15You've only been an assistant manager at City.
11:18There was a chance you could be overawed by how big this club was.
11:22How did you go on against that?
11:24How did you almost seamlessly go and sit in that chair and manage it?
11:29Going through different stages and different moments.
11:37I think I've been driven by the passion and the love that I have for this club
11:41and because I had a dream which it was to become a coach, a manager
11:49and this club gave me the opportunity to be at the highest level straight away
11:52and I was ready to do anything just to make it work.
11:57As I said again, because I think I got the right people around me
12:03to cover all the deficiencies or the things that I don't know
12:07to help me to be better and to help the players and the club in every possible way
12:12to improve every single day and to install that culture, that identity and that ambition.
12:19Finally, I haven't completely checked but I think I'm right in this.
12:22I'm not in the Guinness Booker Records. Are you in the Guinness Booker Records?
12:26I don't think so.
12:28Max Daumann is that three times.
12:30I mean, this guy, a young man, unbelievable, huh?
12:34To win at what he won last year, to score the Premier League goal
12:37and now to be in the Guinness Booker Records.
12:39How do you keep this feeling?
12:42Well, I think that's a collective responsibility.
12:46First of all, for the parents because they're the ones that they spend the most time with them
12:50and they are already given the education to be how he is today
12:53and then everybody that works in and around him.
12:57But I don't think that Max has a lot of signs to be worried about
13:02because what he wants to do is play football, play football as well as he possibly can
13:07at the highest level and his focus is there.
13:11Laura from the BBC.
13:13Hello.
13:14Hi.
13:14I appreciate your position but you obviously have a lot of history with Manchester City.
13:21You were there for a long time.
13:23Does what has come out after the last few weeks, do you personally taint your memories of that time?
13:31Again, and as I said, I understand the question where they're coming from.
13:37It's a lot of noise around it.
13:39It's an ongoing process that is not resolved yet and I think we need to respect it.
13:44And certainly I have to respect that.
13:46You talk about the noise.
13:48It will not be lost on your players either.
13:51As a manager, how much have you had to address that this week since they've been coming back from the
13:56international break?
13:57There is nothing in our hands and the only thing that we can do is focus on everything that we
14:02can do
14:03to be as we possibly can and to be better than any other opponent.
14:07And that's where we put the energy.
14:10Just one last question on this.
14:12For the integrity of the Premier League, how important is it that this is resolved this season?
14:18Well, the people are responsible to manage this process and to come with the right conclusions
14:25and I'm sure it will be done and it will be resolved in the right way.
14:29We have to trust that.
14:31James, CBS?
14:32Something you said to Gary though is you love the manner of the contract negotiations.
14:38Could you take us behind the scenes?
14:40What were you referring to there?
14:42The number at the end?
14:44No, I'm not talking about that.
14:46I talk about how we feel about each other.
14:50The way we have analysed what we've done together and especially how we're going to take this club
14:55to be the best in the world for many years and what the platforms, the good things that we have.
15:01And then you just have a sense how you feel about each other, how we do things.
15:06And I feel really lucky.
15:08And having Stan and George in front of you and talking to them and expressing still what they want to
15:16do,
15:16how they want to do it especially, it's just inspiring.
15:19And then, yeah, there are things that are relating to me but as well the coaching and stuff
15:26and how they value the people around it and what has been done.
15:30And from both sides, it's just – it's total alignment, what I can say.
15:36That's why when I see somebody happy after a few months of having discussions and ideas
15:42and is it the best thing to do and for how long and other things that have to be discussed.
15:47I was just moved because everybody looked happy.
15:51I was immensely happy with my family as well which is the most important thing.
15:55But the staff, the people around, the players and them as well.
15:58And I think that's very important, not only the outcome.
16:01Richard spoke this week about your club dominating football.
16:03I mean, you kind of alluded to it there and you said this is only the beginning.
16:07These are quite big words.
16:09There's quite a big standard to set this up,
16:10the sort of thing that could come back and haunt you at any moment.
16:13Why do you feel confident saying that?
16:16Well, that's what we want to try to achieve.
16:19And that's the ambition.
16:21And I don't think you have to hide it.
16:23The thing is that you have to earn it every single day.
16:25And this football, but if your aspirations and your dreams are where they are,
16:31I think it's easier to get them.
16:34Because if I said to you the ones that I had when I arrived,
16:37probably I would say, what are you talking about?
16:40But that was the ambition.
16:41That's the drive.
16:42And it's because we believe that we can do it.
16:45And then there will be many factors that would allow us or not to achieve it.
16:49Time will tell.
16:50But certainly that drive is there.
17:01Sorry, sorry.
17:04Are you relieved or satisfied that your title last season was done on the pitch,
17:09no external factors at that time?
17:12I feel very proud and I feel very emotional when I think especially how we've done it.
17:18and the moments that we have to go through actually to achieve it.
17:24And it's a unique and a genuine feeling that I have because of the manner that we did it.
17:29And just one on your contract.
17:30We've seen managers at other top clubs maybe get to a stage where they need a new challenge,
17:34they need to sort of refresh.
17:36Do you ever have any doubt in your mind that you wanted something new contract here
17:39that you were in a position where you still have more to do?
17:41Well, you have to sometimes stop and think, you know, for how long can you do this as well.
17:47And not only doing it here but it's for yourself.
17:50Do you have the right level of desire, the energy, the people around you,
17:54the way they look at you when you talk.
17:57But my feeling was yes.
18:01And if that feeling changes one day, we'll look at our eyes and that's it. It's simple.
18:17There is a process there again that is not resolved. It's ongoing.
18:22And we can have, I think, a much clearer opinion.
18:25One is being resolved up to now. I'm not prepared to make any comments.
18:30Just on your contract, you see it through the year, probably 10 years,
18:34which, you know, it's quite rare in the moment you get a pet box,
18:38you stop at 10, do you think one day you will want to break?
18:44A break?
18:45Or to stop doing what I do?
18:48At the moment it's not in my head.
18:50I mean, it's because I love so much what I do.
18:53I wake up every morning and I have this energy.
18:56A lot of people say,
18:57but you need to rest sometimes with this.
18:59But the reality, and I'm honest,
19:01sometimes I take a break during the day,
19:04I go back and I start to work on something and I get more energy
19:07because I love what I do.
19:09I say, what about this?
19:10What about if we pass on that?
19:11But this is the beauty of not working,
19:14of doing something that is your absolute passion, you know?
19:18And that's why I feel extremely lucky to be where I am.
19:22So many of the top managers have stopped after 10 years,
19:26but the way you're talking does sound like you could go on as well.
19:29I don't know.
19:30I don't know.
19:31I think I'm still really, I think really young.
19:35And this is just my first experience as well.
19:39And that's it.
19:40It's probably the way I live my profession.
19:43And this week we had a lot of discussions and people talked about pressure or stress.
19:48And I understand.
19:50I don't relate my job to that.
19:54And I've been through very different moments,
19:56but it's more about the level of the passion and love that I have for the game
20:00and what I do with the ambition and drive and aspirations that I have.
20:06And if you want to put a name into it, fine.
20:09But for me it's just a privilege to do that every single day.
20:13And if one day it's not, then it will be as well my decision to say,
20:17OK, now I don't enjoy it or I enjoy it in a different way.
20:19It's time to stop.
20:21Just fine.
20:22Do you still think this is the best league in the world?
20:24A hundred percent.
20:26Carrie, be in.
20:27Yeah.
20:28Many congratulations on your new contract.
20:30Talk about that dominance.
20:32And this is a team that has won the Premier League by really salving financial management,
20:37doing it the right way.
20:38Arteta building your stadium, having a financial plan,
20:41you coming in and resolving and building up this team the right way,
20:47sticking to the rules.
20:49Do you think that's why the Premier League isn't where it is right now?
20:53If you look at the teams in third form,
20:55the Brighton and Frankfurt Leeds,
20:57is this a truer league?
20:58How important are these strict financial rules?
21:02Well, I just respond to it.
21:04It is the best league in the world in my opinion.
21:06Yes, for many reasons.
21:08And as well because I've been here for over 20 years
21:11and it will continue to be the best league in the world.
21:15And again, I feel privileged to be where I am.
21:18And the fact that there are other clubs, and you mentioned a few,
21:22that they've been extremely good at managing the resources in such an intelligent
21:26and efficient way is good because it has increased the competition.
21:31And we suffered that a few weeks ago already.
21:33So...
21:35So many questions to ask you.
21:36One, can you give me an update on Max Dalman's fitness?
21:39Does that mean that Kai and Etri are available to play for this encounter?
21:45And also, what have you learned over this international break
21:49about what went wrong at Brighton?
21:52And how have your players come back after a really quite packed international break?
21:57Well, two things.
21:58First of all, the first one about the game.
22:00I already mentioned it.
22:01And then how good our players are.
22:03Because when I watched them travelling the world,
22:06playing with different national teams
22:07and the incredible impact that they had for the national teams,
22:11it gives you reassurance as well to do that.
22:14And then that when they come, they have big smiles on their faces.
22:17So they feel this home and they are happy to come.
22:20And this is as well a great thing to feel.
22:24Max Dalman?
22:25Max Dalman.
22:26What was about Max?
22:27Is he available?
22:28Is Esri available?
22:29Yes, he's available.
22:30Is Esri and Kai available?
22:32Max is available.
22:33Esri and Kai will see you tomorrow.
22:35Okay, final two in the end of life.
22:36Firstly, Phil from Pierre at the back.
22:38Can you explain a little bit about the noise that this is causing?
22:43Is there a small element of you that thinks at least that this is going to play
22:47into Arsenal's hands?
22:48You know, a lot of fans might be thinking that that's the case
22:51with the other people at one of your biggest rivals.
22:54What we think is about us, about what we do
22:57and what we want to achieve.
22:59That's it.
23:00The rest is something that we don't control.
23:02We have never controlled it
23:03and we don't want to control it.
23:06And that's the beauty of what we do.
23:08That at the end a lot of things depends on us
23:11and that's where we want to live it.
23:18We're going to talk about that using a different thing that is happening.
23:23I prefer not to answer those questions.
23:28Seven years as Arsenal manager over that time,
23:31I think we've seen a lot of different versions over the years.
23:35I was just wondering how you view your kind of evolution
23:37as a man and manager in that time.
23:40How much do you feel like you've changed?
23:43Well, as I said, obviously,
23:45with the transformation of a football club
23:48or the squads of people that we had around the club,
23:50obviously comes a personal transformation at every level.
23:55And doing something that you've never done in your life,
23:58moving your family,
24:00starting to build and create something
24:02that you very passionately believe
24:04that it will make a lot of people happy,
24:06then experiencing some difficult times along the way,
24:10getting up again and dragging people with you
24:14with the same purpose, having some incredible moments together.
24:19That shapes you.
24:20It's inevitable.
24:21It's been one of the best things.
24:24It's been a gift through that journey.
24:26And I want to experience many more transformations and evolutions
24:30because this is where we are here,
24:31to continue to learn, to be curious
24:33and to help people to enjoy this incredible game.
24:37In terms of dragging yourself through that
24:40and getting to another level,
24:42I saw a few years ago you said one of your favourite films is Gladiator.
24:46And I was wondering what...
24:48Basically, what kind of things might inspire you
24:51that you look at and think,
24:53oh, maybe I can apply that to...
24:54I always loved it.
24:55When it's against difficulty
24:57and when you have to bring people with you,
25:00I think that's the nicest thing in our job, you know,
25:05to bring people on the journey,
25:07to make them feel part of something,
25:09to have a very clear purpose
25:11and then going through stages where chapter by chapter
25:15you start to get closer to achieve them
25:17or achieve them all.
25:18And then go again and reimburse yourself and do that.
25:21And then there is as well the way the game has evolved as well.
25:26And how do you evolve with the game?
25:28And can you be ahead of the game?
25:29And that's a constant challenge as well,
25:31especially with the level of managers and teams
25:33that we have in the league.
25:35And that's not going to stop.
25:37So that's not going to allow you to stop as well.
25:40Let's go.
25:41Let's go.