Arsenal: Sven Mislintat honesty will help his cause

Sven Mislintat has revealed that there is great pressure on him to succeed at Arsenal. His comments, while perhaps surprising, show an honesty and realism that will help his cause in North London.

Arsenal are a worrying private and enclosed football club. In fact, in all honesty, the same could be said of most modern, professional sports organisations, not just football clubs, and not just Arsenal. There is so little that we, as external, distanced observers, know; there is so much that is hidden, that is protected from the public eye, that is denied from being widely known or acknowledged.

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It makes managing extremely difficult. There is meddling from every angle. The owner gets involved in the details from above, the board prise their fingers into the gaps of working with each and every opportunity, and the fans, the minority shareholders, and the press relentlessly push for answers, as they should do.

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That is not environment that lends itself to productive and efficient work in regards to the product on the pitch. The commercial aspects of the club may flourish, but what goes on between the white lines often suffers as a result.

That brings me to recent hiring of Sven Mislintat as the club’s new chief scout. Diamond Eye, as he has been coined, has been ushered in to oversee the club’s recruitment, the scouting, targeting and acquiring of new players, especially in regards to young prospects throughout the continent. And Mislintat, in his first interview since his hiring, has revealed that there is a degree of expectation on him to perform in his new role, admitting that there is pressure placed upon him:

"“Going by the press in England and Germany, they expect me to sign a Dembele in each transfer window. I’m being put on an incredibly high pedestal.”"

For someone who has just entered a new, very public job, it seems odd to reveal that there is a great pressure to deliver. It seems counterproductive to the settling in process, a chink in the self-confidence that you must undoubtedly have to flourish in a job that is so easily scrutinisable.

But at Arsenal, a club that is so cloak and daggers about everything, perhaps an element of abrasive and unaccommodating honesty is exactly what is needed. Maybe Mislintat’s straightforward, uncomplicated approach will be able to work in an environment that is clearly not conducive to his line of work.

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There will be many people wanting to meddle in Mislintat’s dealings. That is, unfortunately, the state that this club currently is. And with Arsene Wenger obviously still present, as someone who will have a keen and detailed influence on the club’s recruitment, Mislintat with have many voices to shout over. Perhaps his honesty will provide a microphone to what he is saying. He may need it.