Arsenal CEO, Ivan Gazidis, has revealed that new manager Unai Emery, was selected after they interviewed a total of eight managers.
Gazidis stated this on Wednesday during Emery’s unveiling as Arsene Wenger’s successor.
According to him, the club set up a three man committee that included Sven Mislintat and Raul Sanllehi, to decide who their head coach would be.
“I know that [Emery] came as a bit of a surprise and perhaps there was one or two rewrites necessary [in the press]. Those who know won’t speak & those who speak won’t know.
“We formed a three-person committee lead by me with Sven Mislintat and Raul Sanllehi. We wanted progressive, entertaining football, a personality that fits Arsenal’s values and a record of developing young players – pushing players and demanding more from them.
“We analysed and looked through, on the basis that every coach in the world would be interested and made a long list of eight coaches, all of whom were interested and who took place in extensive, in-depth interviews with the three of us. None of them withdrew their interest.
“We interviewed Unai on the 10th of May, as part of that process, making a unanimous recommendation to the board on the 18th of May, with a 100-page dossier that supported his candidacy.
“We met with London-based members of the board this week and then flew to Atlanta to meet Stan and Josh Kroenke. All of the board members were energised by the recommendation & enthusiastically supported it,” Gazidis said.
Emery has signed a two-year deal with the option for a third with the Gunners.
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