“Arsenal will not fall into Manchester United’s trap” – Gunners legend

Premier League
By Mirror | Sep 02, 2018
Man United boss Jose Mourinho hugs Arsenal coach Unai Emery [Courtesy]

Arsenal legend Ray ­Parlour insists the Gunners will not fall into the same trap as Manchester United and look for a quick-fix after Arsene Wenger.

Parlour is certain new boss Unai Emery won’t go the same way as David Moyes and Louis van Gaal, who were sacked at Old Trafford as United ­grappled with life after Sir Alex Ferguson.

Those struggles are still going on for the 20-time ­English champions, with Jose Mourinho United’s THIRD manager in five years since Ferguson retired.

But Parlour is ­confident that Emery is in it for the long haul at the Emirates – and he has seen at first hand just how ruthless the Spaniard can be.

Not even stars like Mesut Ozil are safe.

Parlour, winner of three ­Premier League titles and four FA Cups with the Gunners, said: “Arsenal will give Unai Emery the time to get it right.

Arsenal legend Ray ­Parlour insists the Gunners will not fall into the same trap as Manchester United [Courtesy]

“That’s why I don’t see any parallels with what happened at United after Sir Alex.

“I can already see the fans are behind Emery, they’ve seen what he is trying to achieve and they will stick with it.

“The board and people who appointed him will too.

“We have seen at United that you can’t keep chopping and changing managers. It doesn’t work.

“If you do that, a new ­manager comes in and does completely the opposite, and then where do the players stand after learning new methods? It all has to change and you have to start again.”

Parlour added: “Emery will need maybe a ­couple more transfer windows to get all the players he wants.

“And the ones he’s got now need to get used to what he wants them to do.

“Over time he will see who is able to do that and who isn’t.

“The ones that don’t will get shipped out – some players might progress under him and some might not.

“I don’t know who those will be, but from what I have seen of Emery at close quarters so far, if you aren’t doing what he wants he won’t let it drift – you’ll be dropped, or hooked during games.

“I was with the team in Singapore during pre-season and he’s a very demanding coach.

“His sessions are very fast and intense and he ­demands total focus.

“In every session I saw he was drilling into the players what he wants and you can see that if he senses someone isn’t on board with that, they won’t be around long.

“Emery won’t ­tolerate ­players being in a comfort zone.

“That is why I’m so ­optimistic he will get it right.”

Parlour noted: “As long as you can see it’s happening and getting closer to what he wants, then people will be happy, even if they are not winning things this season.

“Arsenal know that things won’t just ­happen in a flash.

“They have a ­vision, ­behind the scenes, that could take two or three years.

“But you never know. Fans love instant results. West Ham fans are already saying Manuel Pellegrini has to be sacked!”

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