Does this mean the club is now run by AFTV? I was no more up for MA8 than most (I

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

Sorry genuinely stupid question. Papers jumped the gun - Emery has always been in the frame and they only got to interview him recently

Cheers.

Makes sense. Just hadn't seen his name mentioned myself.

[Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult]

I have no doubt that their interest in Arteta was genuine, but that's what an interview process is about, isn't it? You interview candidates in whom you're interested, then make your choice from amongst them. I must say, it all looks rather normal to me.

You don't think that perhaps some journalists got a bit carried away with the Arteta story and jumped the gun?

So B's suggesting it was a smokescreen. You're saying MA8 was genuine but he flunked an interview. I wish I knew.

[Sir C]

So B's suggesting it was a smokescreen. You're saying MA8 was genuine but he flunked an interview. I wish I knew.

He doesn't need to have been a smokescreeen nor 'flunked' an interview. He may have given a terrific interview; the board may just have decided that, of the two candidates, Emery was fractionally better suited. THAT'S HOW YOU EMPLOY SOMEONE!

[Burney]

So B's suggesting it was a smokescreen. You're saying MA8 was genuine but he flunked an interview. I wish I knew.

I can't believe anyone in football would really decide who they want to manage their team based on an interview, tbh.

[Sir C]

I can't believe anyone in football would really decide who they want to manage their team based on an interview, tbh.

I'd disagree with you there, tbh. As a director of the club you'd have to put away everything you thought you knew and everything that you surmised, and ask the questions - What will your goals be, how will you achieve them, where's the best pinxtos buffet in Abu Dhabi?

[redgunamo]

I can't believe anyone in football would really decide who they want to manage their team based on an interview, tbh.

Right. Parkinson's Law; decide upon the man you want and go and get him. Repeat ad infinitum.

[Burney]

I'd disagree with you there, tbh. As a director of the club you'd have to put away everything you thought you knew and everything that you surmised, and ask the questions - What will your goals be, how will you achieve them, where's the best pinxtos buffet in Abu Dhabi?

As with most high-level appointments, though, by the time you've had the chat, you've pretty much already decided this is who you want. If all goes well, the chat itself is simply a means of discussing terms. If it goes badly, it's simply an opportunity for the candidate to fvck things up by saying all the wrong things and thus rule themselves out. Sometimes others apply and - out of a sense of duty or fair play - one interviews them for form's sake, but you're unlikely ever to employ them. Thus was it, I suspect, with young Mikel.

[Pokster]

As with most high-level appointments, though, by the time you've had the chat, you've pretty much already decided this is who you want. If all goes well, the chat itself is simply a means of discussing terms. If it goes badly, it's simply an opportunity for the candidate to fvck things up by saying all the wrong things and thus rule themselves out. Sometimes others apply and - out of a sense of duty or fair play - one interviews them for form's sake, but you're unlikely ever to employ them. Thus was it, I suspect, with young Mikel.

I would suggest that if AW had retired when the club were a top 4 side and quite stable in that area they might have taken more of a gamble on MA, as it stands we are dropping off the pace more each season so taking a gamble was less likely... not saying MA would have been the wrong decision, would have been an exciting one, but if it went wrong the board would have been ****ting themselves