Arsenal Announce Unai As New Manager

Unai Emery is to become our new head coach. He joins the club after completing a two-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain, where he recently landed the treble of Ligue 1, Coupe de France and the Coupe de la Ligue.  Unai, 46, previously spent three seasons with Sevilla, leading them to an unprecedented three consecutive Europa League titles, establishing the club as a major force in the Spanish league.

Announcing the appointment, chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: “Unai has an outstanding track record of success throughout his career, has developed some of the best young talent in Europe and plays an exciting, progressive style of football that fits Arsenal perfectly. His hard-working and passionate approach and his sense of values on and off the pitch make him the ideal person to take us forward.  “We conducted a confidential, wide-ranging and rigorous search involving extensive background references, data and video analysis, and personal meetings with all the candidates we shortlisted. All were interested in the position and we were unanimous in our choice of Unai to drive the next chapter of our history.”

Unai said: “I am thrilled to be joining one of the great clubs in the game. Arsenal is known and loved throughout the world for its style of play, its commitment to young players, the fantastic stadium, the way the club is run. I’m very excited to be given the responsibility to start this important new chapter in Arsenal’s history. I have met Stan and Josh Kroenke and it’s clear they have great ambitions for the club and are committed to bringing future success. I’m excited about what we can do together and I look forward to giving everyone who loves Arsenal some special moments and memories.”

Unai started his coaching career at Lorca Deportiva in 2005 after playing mostly in the Spanish second division. He went on to coach Almeria, Valencia and Spartak Moscow before joining Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain.

The Pool It Is

Would you rather swim in the ocean, lake, or swimming pool?

I have never swum in the ocean or a lake. I have swum mostly in swimming pools, mostly during a 2-3 month stint when I went to a club. And a few times I have taken a swim in a river. The Periyar river mostly.

I haven’t been swimming since my early 20s. Being a fat obese guy might have a lot to do with it. Actually, the only thing that is stopping me from doing it. When I was 18-19 I went to Abad Plaza where they had a sauna, steam room (a doctor told my parents that steam rooms with eucalyptus oil on a cloth tied against the steam blower is good for people with asthma and breathing issues). While there, I learned swimming in their pool on the open air roof.

Have you gone swimming in a pool in the night when it is raining heavily? It’s like you are in a storm in the sea/ocean. Or rather it feels like what I have seen on tv or movies. Especially when you are under water. As a mediocre swimmer and never haven been in almost 2 decades, I would prefer a pool.

Prompt from 31 DAYS OF WRITING PROMPTS FOR MAY at The SitsGirls