This archive report was first published on 20 December 2019.
December 20, 2019, marked a significant day for Arsenal Football Club as Mikel Arteta was unveiled as the new manager, replacing Unai Emery who was sacked in November.
Emery, who was at the helm of the Gunners from 2018, has now broken his silence on the appointment, speaking candidly in a radio interview.
According to Emery, Arteta made a bold move by leaving Manchester City, where he was Pep Guardiola's assistant, to take on the challenge at the Emirates.
Emery also showed class by endorsing Arteta, citing his experience as a player at Arsenal and his success in the Premier League.
"He has been at Arsenal before, he's been in the Premier League and he has been working with Pep Guardiola. I do believe this is a good decision and I would also like it to be a good decision," Emery said in the interview.
Emery also reflected on his own tenure at Arsenal, admitting that he was under less pressure when he first took over from Arsene Wenger, with expectations not being as high.
He revealed that the journey to the Europa League final in the 2018/2019 season had cost them some Premier League focus, ultimately resulting in a fifth-place finish and missing out on Champions League slots.
Emery also spoke openly about his sack, explaining that things started to go wrong after the second international break, with the team losing confidence and stability.
