Mikel Arteta’s Pledge to Change Touchline Behavior Amidst Looming Ban for Arsenal Manager
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta acknowledges the necessity to adjust his behavior to prevent being penalized by the FA.
He’s received two yellow cards this season for his intense touchline conduct and persistent questioning of referees, with the most recent booking occurring after the 2-2 draw against Chelsea last Saturday.
The new regulations put in place this season dictate that another yellow card will lead to a one-game suspension. Arteta recognizes the importance of managing his emotions better, although he had previously indicated he wouldn’t alter his approach.
”Basically I don’t want to get sent off,” the Arsenal boss explained ahead of Saturday’s clash with bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United. “Sometimes when I look at myself and I’m so agitated I think it can sometimes give an image that is not the best.
”Sometimes it’s difficult when you are in the heat of the moment, because you are representing the club and you want to defend them. That’s what drives me. It’s to defend the players to defend the club. Nothing else. It’s not about me.
”I think I am changing. If you think differently, let me know. But I have made a conscious effort. If you ask the players that played with me they would say I was always on their backs when I played as well. It’s who I am. Probably in 10 years’ time I will be very different. I think I will evolve, in many ways.”
Arteta also humorously pointed out the discrepancy in disciplinary thresholds, highlighting that players can accumulate five bookings before facing suspension, whereas managers face consequences with a lower threshold.
“We are always playing as managers, so I don’t know why we get three yellows and the players can have,” the Spaniard went on to say.
”We are there every minute of every game. Some players are on the bench, sometimes they are injured, but we are always there and we can only have three yellows. It’s not fair, no?”
Arteta will aim to avoid any issues with the officials in the upcoming match against Sheffield United, who are currently at the bottom of the Premier League without a win.
Mikel Arteta’s Pledge to Change Touchline Behavior Amidst Looming Ban for Arsenal Manager