After Enzo Maresca and Ruben Amorim were both sacked following rumored power struggles with their clubs, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has downplayed the significance of titles, emphasising that relationships are more important than labels.
Maresca left the Blues on the first day of the new year after fighting with senior figures, while Amorim was fired by Manchester United just a few days later after being publicly disgruntled by not having control, although the club denied there were any internal disagreements. Their departures have reignited the debate on whether the distinction between a “head coach” and a “manager” still exists in modern football.
Arteta was hired by Arsenal as head coach in December 2019, but nine months later, he was promoted to manager, which was a step that gave him more power over the whole club. Nevertheless, the Spaniard reveals that the change was for no one’s power or ego.
“To me, the title is not really indicative of how we operate every day,” Arteta said in his press conference before Arsenal’s game against Liverpool. “It’s about the people and the relationships. If somebody is better than me at certain things, I give them the go-ahead to do it.”
Arteta also said he did not ask for the title of manager, but he was happy that the club leadership, headed by owners Stan and Josh Kroenke, had a lot of faith in him. A united board is, in his opinion, the main reason for a calm working environment.
While other elite managers complain of being limited by the structure, Arteta’s words are a reminder that Arsenal, with their clarity, trust, and teamwork – instead of fancy job titles – are the real ingredients for long-lasting success.
