Ex-Manchester City defender Micah Richards has praised Stan Kroenke and the Arsenal board for their constant support of Mikel Arteta despite the Spaniard coming under pressure at points throughout his Gunners managerial career. The former midfielder was appointed at the Emirates Stadium in December 2019 as he replaced compatriot Unai Emery at the helm.
It is fair to say that there have been some difficult moments for the 40-year-old, with it appearing as though pressure was building upon his position in north London. There were calls for the Spaniard to even be sacked at the beginning of the current campaign after three defeats in a row left the Gunners at the bottom of Premier League table.
Arteta has managed to mastermind an impressive turnaround though and has Arsenal challenging for a Champions League place come the end of the campaign, whilst also having twice scooped the Premier League Manager of the Month award. Richards has hailed the club’s decision to stick by the current head coach even when times were tough.
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Writing for Sportsmail, he said: “This is football now. It is so reactive, more so than ever before. Win and you are the best in the world, lose and you are clueless. Patience, unfortunately, is no longer a virtue and there is an unwillingness from many to look at the bigger picture.
“Thankfully, Arsenal's board bucked the modern trend. When results dipped last season, they stood behind Arteta and did likewise at the start of this campaign after their opening three defeats to Brentford, Chelsea and Manchester City, when they failed to even score a goal.”
Whilst Richards is delighted to have seen Arteta retain the faith of the Arsenal hierarchy, he has suggested that the final few months of the season could be crucial in his long-term prospects with a ticket back into Europe tantalisingly close.
He continued: “Arteta always looked the right fit to get Arsenal back into the top four, which they took for granted under Arsene Wenger, and over the next two months we will see if he can deliver on the promise.
“What an outstanding opportunity is in front of them. Without European football this season, I felt Arsenal would have an edge to get into the top four because of the clear weeks they had to prepare for games — it has enabled them to build a solid base.
“They go into this weekend three points ahead of Tottenham, with a game in hand, and it is important to capitalise from here, because the difference it could make to their fortunes for the next number of years is huge.
“Should Arsenal qualify for the Champions League next season, think of the strength it will add to their hand in the transfer market. They already have a great history, a fantastic stadium and training ground, while areas such as Hampstead are unbelievable places for potential targets to live.”
