The Arsenal boss has endured an unprecedented first full season as manager and is grateful to his family for supporting him throughout
Mikel Arteta and his dog in north London (Image: Eliteprotectiondogs.co.uk)
Mikel Arteta has paid tribute to his family for supporting him during an unprecedented first full season as Arsenal manager.
The Gunners boss replaced Unai Emery as head coach in December 2019, before going on to win the FA Cup at the end of the season.
Arteta has since had the coronavirus pandemic to contend with as well as a disrupted fixture schedule, and has revealed how his family have helped him get through the difficult times in his job.
“I’m very lucky because I could not ask for anything else, starting from my wife,” he said.
“She understands every situation, all the time the support, the love, the energy that they’re able to create at the house after a win, after a loss is a completely different feeling.
“I always find the same environment. I have three boys and two dogs. The energy and love they give me, you cannot describe that. They need from me now that I give them something back now. In the summer I cannot wait to have them jumping all over me.
“My bubble are my three kids and my wife. When I’m into that bubble is when my system goes down and I get emotions that I need all the time.
“I do that every morning with them. I never leave my door without seeing them. That’s the way I start my day – when I do that my day always starts good and then you start to face every single thing that comes along the way.
With life gradually getting back to some sort of normality in England, Arteta says he cannot wait to be reunited with family members that he hasn’t seen in over a year since the pandemic began.
“I haven’t seen my mum, my dad, my sister which I adore in over a year now. I really need them, the same with my friends. I need to smile, laugh and enjoy – all those things.
“At the same time you have to reflect on what you’ve done, be very critical on yourself and how can you do better next season.”
