Videos are circulating online of Mikel Arteta driving his wife and young child away from the Emirates on Sunday.
Most who have attended our stadium a few times know the perfect location to wait for players after a game in their cars. Some players will quickly wind down their window and take a selfie and/or sign their autograph while waiting at traffic lights.
Yet following our victory against Wigan, Mikel Arteta has been filmed gesturing to a grown man that he wasn’t going to be winding down his window. Strangely, this didn’t discourage the gentleman, who started to plead with our manager to sign a shirt for his son (who wasn’t with him). Even when fellow Gooners encouraged the man to leave it, he carried on begging till the Arteta family were able to drive away.
Arteta unwinding with his family
It’s easy for some to look at this scene and say it’s another example of football being out of touch with the modern fan. Here’s a millionaire refusing to do something that would take seconds. My own opinion is that the Spaniard is a human being who works in a high-pressure environment where his attention to detail is obsessive. That is essentially him finishing work for the day and wanting to switch off and unwind with his family.
I have been fortunate to meet our boss. He was with his spouse, but stopped to talk and take a photo with me. The difference is that there were not thousands of people around who would have bombarded the 42-year-old the moment it was clear he was willing to interact.
Avoiding possible abuse
I can understand any father not wanting their children to be subjected to a group surrounding them. Ask Granit Xhaka and Mesut Özil what happens when you give up your time to interact. You get verbally abused with your loved ones sitting next to you.
After that, I know for a fact that all Arsenal staff were advised to keep windows rolled up.
While it’s a shame the minority ruin it for the rest, the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.
Should Arteta have signed the shirt?
Dan Smith
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