Angelito wrote:
That's where people management comes in. That's where things get tricky.
I don't know what really went down apart from what I saw at Brighton. But every individual has to be dealt with differently. There's always a risk of alienating someone else. That's where you have to know whether to be a mentor or a dictator.
It's basic management that's applicable everywhere.
We need to ask ourselves if this is consistent. Xhaka is another troublesome being and the 2018 WC incident alluded to that. His actions as Gunners' captain does too. But he is amongst the first names on the team sheet despite being a mediocre player.
Guendouzi, in contrast, is an upcoming talent. He *could* be bullied. Whether he was or wasn't, that's another thing. But if you can't deal with someone who's barely past his teens, and have to create a narrative of non-negotiables, whilst one of our highest earning players is sitting out for reasons that neither Arteta or Edu, nor Josh Kroenke is willing to divulge, questions have to be asked.
I'm a believer in human potential. Teenagers and post-teenagers could get rowdy. Now, if they chose to take the path of Bendtner or Balotelli, or wish to learn and grow, that has to be gauged. Perhaps Mikel has. I don't know.
I haven't seen a mentor in him yet. A trainer, a technical enforcer, a superb assimilator? Sure. A mentor, not yet.
Too wishy washy in the real world. None of us know what really went down, that's the main thing. His age is completely irrelevant. We've seen it with the England players who seem determined as a unit to force Southgate to tear out his hair on camera. If in the middle of the worst pandemic this generation and those before it have ever seen. if your job. profession, source of income is secure as well as incredibly well renumerated and if there is an expectation of discipline and following certain protocols you're still too thick, pig-headed or for other reasons unable to do that, then do one and don't let the door hit you in the arse on the way out.
He's an adult, not a child. Rowdy? Fine. A complete prick? Not fine. I don't know whether he fits either description but the final call has to be with Arteta. We don't know if he tried to mentor him or not. We do know that he was at the club when Wenger managed and possibly made allowances Arteta didn't like. He certainly made allowances for poor performances.
Xhaka is a strange example to choose. Obviously we should have spent £5 million less and secured Kante but that's irrelevant. Mediocre he may be but Arteta (as well as support from team mates no doubt) has managed to turn a player who ripped off his shirt and told the fans to foxtrot oscar into someone who gives his limited all on the pitch and is appreciated by his colleagues. That seems like good man management to me.
As for Ozil, if Arteta told the world why he was 'sitting out' instead of keeping it in the club, would you really consider that good man management? Wow.
Anyway, good luck to Guendouzi. He's still an Arsenal player and if he turns it round, great. If not, oh well.