'It's a job where you're resolving issues'

For a first job in management, it has been something of a baptism of fire for Mikel Arteta.

With the coronavirus pandemic now into its second wave across the globe, sending players away on international duty is increasingly risky.

 

Just this week, we had it confirmed that Sead Kolasinac and Mohamed Elneny have tested positive for Covid-19 so will miss Sunday’s game at Leeds - and Arteta says it is a challenging time for all managers.

 

“At the moment in the actual context it makes it that way [that it is all-consuming],” he said. “I feel so privileged to be where I am because I love so much what I do, I love to be sitting representing this football club and having the opportunity to spend time with these players and staff.

 

“But I think it is becoming a job where every time you are resolving issues and resolving problems. If you get shocked by that every day, then energy-wise it is very consuming.

 

“I come in now and I am expecting something to come in through the door and give me bad news and having to react quickly because I know it is coming right now. I try to prepare myself and my mood in the morning to say, ‘Okay, let’s see what we face today and let’s go for it.’

 

“Absolutely [resilience is key], and how you bounce back, how you navigate through difficult moments and how convinced you are about what you are doing and at the end of the day, how you judge yourself on the decisions you make, and where those decisions are coming at the end from you.”

 

So how do we stay in touch with our players on international duty?

 

"To really know the protocols that all the national teams are applying is almost impossible because there are so many things that have to be controlled," he said.

 

"We're just trying to be in contact with them and making sure that they know what we are expecting. They are trying to protect the players as much as possible, like we are doing.

 

"In some countries it's more difficult than others obviously, the more exposed they are in flights, if they have to go on different planes, the percentage of risk is increasing constantly. It's not ideal but we need to go through this. We are learning every day about it and there's not much that we as managers can do as well."