I was terrified – Mikel Arteta recalls fear during first days as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admits he was initially “terrified” when he took over at Arsenal five years ago but he is now relishing the challenge of pursuing perfection.
Remoulding Arsenal’s ethos was a paramount priority for the former club captain, who three weeks after Unai Emery’s sacking took over a 10th-placed side languishing as close to the bottom of the Premier League table as they were to the top.
The only way of doing it is to start day by day, to start to experience that, to start to get close to the players and the staff and see it can work.”.
The 42-year-old is the Premier League’s third longest-serving manager after overhauling his club’s culture and transforming the Gunners into bona-fide title contenders.
It was the middle of season, without any preparation, without a coaching staff, you get asked to take this amazing and big job.
