Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta provided a very angry rant yesterday, following his side’s controversial loss to Newcastle United, and when the dust settles on this, he may be suspended. His tirade is actually more than a bit hypocritical, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
While rage-filled manager tirades are always stories, within themselves, the major narrative here is the official club statement in full support of the furious tirade.
Take a look at the official club statement, which is simply the kind of thing that we almost never see:
“Arsenal Football Club wholeheartedly supports Mikel Arteta’s post-match comments after yet more unacceptable refereeing and VAR errors on Saturday evening.
“We’d also like to acknowledge the huge effort and performance from our players and travelling supporters at St James’ Park.
The Premier League is the best league in the world with the best players, coaches and supporters, all of whom deserve better. PGMOL urgently needs to address the standard of officiating and focus on action which moves us all on from retrospective analysis, attempted explanations and apologies.
We support the ongoing efforts of Chief Refereeing Officer, Howard Webb and would welcome working together to achieve the world-class officiating standards our league demands.
If Arteta gets hit with a match ban from the Football Association, then what sanctions will the club itself face?
If the FA can suspend a coach for slamming the officiating, then how what kind of punishment is in store when the actual club itself does it?
Let’s go back to what Arteta said to kick off this latest firestorm.
Actually, let’s do that, and then at the same time, also revisit how he reacted just a few weeks ago when VAR went in his favor, instead of against him.
Watch the video:
When you’re finally touched by VAR, you change forever… Arteta Edition #arteta #NEWARS #VAR #rant pic.twitter.com/AzxIHMSrnt
— Couch Nish (@CouchNish) November 5, 2023
It’s true- you can’t have it both ways.
Arteta after the VAR incident in the Tottenham Hotspur-Liverpool match last month, which didn’t have an immediate, direct impact on him:
“We need to give support and we need to understand that mistakes happen.”
Arteta after the Newcastle VAR ruling, which went directly against his team, last night: “It’s embarrassing. It’s a disgrace.”
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram