Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Do you have any fears about the workload forBukayoSaka with his England call up?
Yes, but that’s why I think we need really good communication between ourselves the player and the national team. We know how important he is for now and in the summer for England. So let’s make the right call and let’s think not just about the short term, but the medium term as well.
How do you make sure that he goes on to fulfil his potential where others perhaps haven’t?
Well it’s about the support, the guidance, the education and the coaching that we give him. Then another factor is how they deal with everything that happens externally. In order to do the best there as well I think his family and his entourage is key. I think Bukayo is lucky that he has the right people around him and they’re going to be really helpful for him.
Do you think it’s a good idea that these international fixtures are being played given rising COVID cases across Europe?
Well obviously from a selfish point of view and with the lack of preparation that we’ve had this season with the amount of games that we’ve already played, from our side it doesn’t make a lot of sense to expose players again. But it’s a decision that we have nothing to do with. We’ve given our opinion as managers, and now there are other institutions that have to make a decision. It’s clear that the games are going to be played. And if some players cannot travel to certain countries then they won’t play.
Do you think the wider number of teams involved in the European places race this season means the rest of the league is getting stronger or that the bigger teams are going backwards?
I don’t know. It’s been a really strange season, unprecedented, and there have been more surprises than ever, so that has to be a factor there in what happened. But then I think it’s no question at all that the teams in the Premier League are getting stronger and stronger and the differences between the top teams and the rest is not as big. You can see that as well not only in the league table but as well in every game you watch in the Premier League with how tough it is to beat the opponents.
