Mikel Arteta has received a promotion after having his job title upgraded to first team manager.
Arteta was named head coach when appointed in December but Arsenal chiefs have elevated the Spaniard after seeing him steer the club through what chief executive Vinai Venkatesham described as ‘the toughest nine month period this club has had in its 134-year history.’
Venkatesham added: ‘He hasn’t been a head coach from the very first day he walked in the door. He has been doing much more than that.
‘That [title change] is really a recognition of what he has been doing from the day he walked in the door and also the capabilities that we believe Mikel has.’
Inside his first nine months Arteta has led Arsenal to an FA Cup final triumph and Community Shield victory.
Venkatesham continued: ‘That is no mean feat. And we really acknowledge the man’s capabilities, and that the man’s capabilities fit much better as a manager than as a head coach.
‘In terms of what that actually means, other than job titles, I guess the head coach is typically responsible for coaching the team – so running the coaching department of the team.
‘But how we’re going to structure things going forward is that Mikel and Edu together will lead all of the other disciplines responsible in the men’s first team – whether that’s analysis, scouting, medical, high performance, they will lead those areas together.’
Off the field Arteta has also steered Arsenal through the Covid-19 crisis, played a pivotal role in players agreeing to take wage cuts to support the club and also attracting their new signings to the club while persuading captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to commit his long-term future to the club.
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