After Arsenal were crowned Premier League champions this evening at Selhurst Park, Mikel Arteta has admitted he had some doubts if he was the right man to bring the title back to North London after a 22 year wait.
It was 2004 when the Gunners last finished top, and under the Spaniard finished second in three successive seasons. Speaking to Sky Sports afterwards, and answering a question from the legend that is Ian Wright, Arteta laid out the range of emotions he’s been through over the last few years.
“There are doubts,” he said.
“I think that’s part of the job. I mean, I can control certain things, but there are many things that are out of your hands, and that’s why you need the best people around you to do that.
“Sometimes when you doubt yourself, you have people as well next to you who say, no, we’re going to do it, and we’re going to do it with you.
“And understanding that maybe you’re not the right person. To sometimes think, I’ve been able to take them all the way here, but maybe somebody else has to come and do the final job.
“But thank God we’ve done it, and I feel a lot of joy and honestly a little bit of relief.”
It’s a very self aware assessment of his work which has, by any objective measure, been exceptional – even if it hasn’t brought the silverware until now.
And on the celebrations, shared with the Arsenal fans and Arsenal staff on the pitch, he said, “It was beautiful. Look at the joy of all the people. They’ve been waiting for so long, they fully deserve it.
“Now it’s time to enjoy, to take the manager hat off and get there and enjoy with them.”
Enjoy, and thanks Mikel.