“When you are winning, it is beautiful. When you lose it is the opposite.”
Mikel Arteta has revealed that his family have been subjected to online threats in recent weeks, amid a growing storm surrounding the issue of abuse of all kinds in football and broader society.
With online racist abuse being highlighted by numerous players and referees receiving death threats after making mistakes, Premier League, FA, EFL, WSL, Women’s Championship, PFA, LMA, PGMOL and Kick It Out all signed an open letter to Twitter and Facebook chiefs, calling on harsher action to be taken against abuse directed at players, managers and officials.
Instagram have pledged to prevent abusive messages being sent on their platform but this is very much the tip of the iceberg.
During his pre-match press conference ahead of Arsenal’s game against Leeds on Sunday, Arteta said: “I prefer not to, we are all exposed in this industry.
“It would affect me a lot more the moment someone wants to touch my family, because it happened. The club was aware of it and tried to do something about it.
“It’s not going to stop tomorrow, we know that, we want to do something medium or long term.
“It’s part of the job, I am not the only one suffering this type of thing.
“When you are winning it is beautiful, you are incredible and you are the best coach. When you lose it is the opposite, it’s not pleasant.
“When it is personal against me I can take it, but when it is my family involved it is a different story.
“The club is very supportive, we do what we have to when those things happen. Medium, long term, can we do something about it? We need to protect people in the game.”
Arsenal have offered players support and advice on how to deal with online abuse, Arteta revealed.
“Of course we have talked internally to the players and we have given them advice and try to protect them as much a possible,” he said.
“The incident that occurred a few days ago with Mike Dean is completely unacceptable. We should stand by him and support referees, they have a tremendously difficult role at the moment.
“At the same time they are trying to do their best and preparing the best they can, we all make mistakes.”
