Mikel Arteta has admitted he felt “terrified” on his first day as Arsenal manager but was determined to change the culture of the club to enable them to challenge for trophies.
Arteta celebrated the fifth anniversary of being thrust into his first managerial role on Friday and was in reflective mood before Saturday’s trip to Crystal Palace. The Spaniard was only 37 when he was appointed at the Emirates in December 2019 and is now the Premier League’s third longest-serving manager behind Pep Guardiola – whom Arteta worked for as an assistant at Manchester City – and Brentford’s Thomas Frank. But he acknowledged that while it had been “a dream come true” to be named Arsenal manager, the prospect of taking over a club that were languishing in 10th place had proven a challenge given his lack of experience.
