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Arsenal Manager History and Current Coaching Staff Overview

Arsenal Football Club has a rich history marked by iconic managers, with Arsene Wenger standing out as the most successful. Since his departure, the club has struggled to reclaim a league title, last achieved during their unbeaten 2003-04 season. Although the hierarchy celebrates trophies like the Community Shield and FA Cup, the Gunners’ quest for European success continues, especially as rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have claimed multiple continental titles. The 2024-25 season saw Tottenham win the UEFA Europa League, while Arsenal still chases their first UEFA Champions League trophy.

Mikel Arteta: Background and Playing Career

Mikel Arteta, the current manager, is a former Spanish midfielder who graduated from the famed La Masia academy. Despite starting his professional career at Barcelona B, he chose to develop at clubs like Rangers in Scotland and later made his mark at Everton. He also played under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. After retiring as a player, Arteta transitioned into coaching, becoming Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City before taking the helm at Arsenal. His managerial period has seen gradual rebuilding, with hopes high that his tactics will soon translate into more trophies.

Arteta's Tactical Approach

Arsenal’s style under Arteta blends positional dominance with high pressing, reflecting a hybrid of Pep Guardiola’s structural play and Jurgen Klopp’s gegenpressing. This approach helped Arsenal beat Real Madrid in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League by controlling their midfield. The team uses a tactical system focused on controlling space and exerting pressure, which has shown effectiveness against various opponents.

Current Arsenal Coaching Staff

  • Manager: Mikel Arteta
  • Assistant Managers: Albert Stuivenberg, Nicolas Jover, Miguel Molina, Gabriel Heinze
  • Goalkeeping Coach: Inaki Cana
  • Academy Manager: Per Mertesacker
  • Head of Sports Medicine and Performance: Zafar Iqbal
  • Managing Director: Richard Garlick
  • Chief Commercial Officer: Juliet Slot
  • Chief Financial Officer: Stuart Wisely
  • Director of Football Operations: James King

Set Piece Coach and Impact

Nicolas Jover, born October 28, 1981, in Germany, serves as Arsenal’s set piece coach. Starting as a video analyst at Montpellier, Jover made a name at Manchester City for his innovative set-piece strategies. Since joining Arsenal in 2021, he has been pivotal in their set-piece success. During the 2023-24 Premier League season, Arsenal scored twenty set-piece goals, the highest in the division, with sixteen from corners, matching the single-season record.

Complete Timeline of Arsenal Managers

  • Thomas Mitchell (Scotland): Mar 30, 1897 - Mar 10, 1898; Matches: 45; Wins: 23; Draws: 8; Losses: 14; GF: 106; GA: 79; Win %: 51.11%; Major Trophies: None
  • William Elcoat (England): Apr 11, 1898 - Feb 16, 1899; Matches: 44; Wins: 21; Draws: 6; Losses: 17; GF: 86; GA: 67; Win %: 47.73%; Major Trophies: None
  • Arthur Kennedy (England): Feb 21, 1899 - Apr 29, 1899; Matches: 15; Wins: 8; Draws: 3; Losses: 4; GF: 31; GA: 17; Win %: 53.33%; Major Trophies: None
  • Harry Bradshaw (England): Jun 30, 1899 - Apr 30, 1904; Matches: 235; Wins: 118; Draws: 44; Losses: 73; GF: 403; GA: 237; Win %: 50.21%; Major Trophies: None
  • Phil Kelso (Scotland): May 1, 1904 - Feb 9, 1908; Matches: 152; Wins: 63; Draws: 31; Losses: 58; GF: 225; GA: 229; Win %: 41.45%; Major Trophies: None
  • George Morrell (Scotland): Feb 10, 1908 - Apr 13, 1915; Matches: 309; Wins: 113; Draws: 74; Losses: 122; GF: 392; GA: 428; Win %: 36.57%; Major Trophies: None
  • James McEwen (England): Apr 19, 1915 - May 24, 1919; Matches: 2; Wins: 1; Draws: 0; Losses: 1; GF: 7; GA: 3; Win %: 50.00%; Major Trophies: None
  • Leslie Knighton (England): May 25, 1919 - May 16, 1925; Matches: 286; Wins: 105; Draws: 63; Losses: 118; GF: 367; GA: 401; Win %: 36.71%; Major Trophies: None
  • Herbert Chapman (England): Jun 11, 1925 - Jan 6, 1934; Matches: 411; Wins: 204; Draws: 97; Losses: 110; GF: 879; GA: 616; Win %: 49.64%; Major Trophies: 2× First Division, 1× FA Cup, 3× Shield
  • Joe Shaw (England): Jan 6, 1934 - May 28, 1934; Matches: 23; Wins: 14; Draws: 3; Losses: 6; GF: 44; GA: 29; Win %: 60.87%; Major Trophies: 1× First Division
  • George Allison (England): May 28, 1934 - May 31, 1947; Matches: 279; Wins: 129; Draws: 74; Losses: 76; GF: 534; GA: 327; Win %: 46.24%; Major Trophies: 2× First Division, 1× FA Cup, 2× Shield
  • Tom Whittaker (England): Jun 2, 1947 - Oct 24, 1956; Matches: 430; Wins: 203; Draws: 106; Losses: 121; GF: 802; GA: 568; Win %: 47.21%; Major Trophies: 2× First Division, 1× FA Cup, 2× Shield
  • Jack Crayston (England): Oct 24, 1956 - May 19, 1958; Matches: 81; Wins: 34; Draws: 17; Losses: 30; GF: 148; GA: 151; Win %: 41.98%; Major Trophies: None
  • George Swindin (England): Jun 21, 1958 - May 1, 1962; Matches: 186; Wins: 76; Draws: 43; Losses: 67; GF: 336; GA: 330; Win %: 40.86%; Major Trophies: None
  • Billy Wright (England): May 1, 1962 - Jun 13, 1966; Matches: 182; Wins: 70; Draws: 43; Losses: 69; GF: 336; GA: 330; Win %: 38.46%; Major Trophies: None
  • Bertie Mee (England): Jun 20, 1966 - May 4, 1976; Matches: 539; Wins: 241; Draws: 148; Losses: 150; GF: 739; GA: 542; Win %: 44.71%; Major Trophies: 1× First Division, 1× FA Cup, 1× Fairs Cup
  • Terry Neill (Northern Ireland): Jul 9, 1976 - Dec 16, 1983; Matches: 416; Wins: 187; Draws: 117; Losses: 112; GF: 601; GA: 446; Win %: 44.95%; Major Trophies: 1× FA Cup
  • Don Howe (England): Dec 16, 1983 - Mar 22, 1986; Matches: 117; Wins: 54; Draws: 32; Losses: 31; GF: 187; GA: 142; Win %: 46.15%; Major Trophies: None
  • Steve Burtenshaw (England): Mar 23, 1986 - May 14, 1986; Matches: 11; Wins: 3; Draws: 2; Losses: 6; GF: 7; GA: 15; Win %: 27.27%; Major Trophies: None
  • George Graham (Scotland): May 14, 1986 - Feb 21, 1995; Matches: 460; Wins: 225; Draws: 133; Losses: 102; GF: 711; GA: 403; Win %: 48.91%; Major Trophies: 2× First Division, 1× FA Cup, 2× League Cup, 1× CWC, 1× Shield
  • Stewart Houston (Scotland): Feb 21, 1995 - Jun 15, 1995; Matches: 19; Wins: 7; Draws: 3; Losses: 9; GF: 29; GA: 25; Win %: 36.84%; Major Trophies: None
  • Bruce Rioch (Scotland): Jun 15, 1995 - Aug 12, 1996; Matches: 47; Wins: 22; Draws: 15; Losses: 10; GF: 67; GA: 37; Win %: 46.81%; Major Trophies: None
  • Stewart Houston (2nd spell) (Scotland): Aug 12, 1996 - Sep 13, 1996; Matches: 6; Wins: 2; Draws: 2; Losses: 2; GF: 11; GA: 10; Win %: 33.33%; Major Trophies: None
  • Pat Rice (Northern Ireland): Sep 13, 1996 - Sep 30, 1996; Matches: 4; Wins: 3; Draws: 0; Losses: 1; GF: 10; GA: 4; Win %: 75.00%; Major Trophies: None
  • Arsène Wenger (France): Oct 1, 1996 - May 13, 2018; Matches: 1,235; Wins: 707; Draws: 280; Losses: 248; GF: 2,156; GA: 1,147; Win %: 57.25%; Major Trophies: 3× Premier League, 7× FA Cup, 7× Community Shield
  • Unai Emery (Spain): May 23, 2018 - Nov 29, 2019; Matches: 78; Wins: 43; Draws: 16; Losses: 19; GF: 152; GA: 100; Win %: 55.13%; Major Trophies: None
  • Freddie Ljungberg (Sweden, interim): Nov 29, 2019 - Dec 21, 2019; Matches: 6; Wins: 1; Draws: 3; Losses: 2; GF: 8; GA: 10; Win %: 16.67%; Major Trophies: None
  • Mikel Arteta (Spain): Dec 22, 2019 - Present (Dec 2024); Matches: 255; Wins: 151; Draws: 44; Losses: 60; GF: 480; GA: 250; Win %: 59.22%; Major Trophies: 1× FA Cup, 2× Community Shield

Common Questions

  • Who manages Arsenal currently? Mikel Arteta is the current manager.
  • Who is considered Arsenal's greatest manager? Arsene Wenger is often regarded as the club’s best manager.
  • Which clubs did Arteta play for? He played for Barcelona B, Paris Saint-Germain, Rangers, Real Sociedad, Everton, and Arsenal.
  • When did Arteta become Arsenal manager? He took charge on December 20, 2019.

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