Arsenal chief’s Champions League comments are unfair on Unai Emery, says David Seaman
Gunners legend says bosses are putting extra pressure on the team by saying a lack of Champions League football is costing the club ‘tens of millions of pounds’
Arsenal legend David Seaman has criticised club bosses for putting extra pressure on Unai Emery, after they said he MUST get the Gunners back into the Champions League.
This is the second successive season Arsenal have competed in the Europa League, and new managing director Vinai Venkatesham has said the club is missing out on ‘tens of millions of pounds’ from their failure to qualify for Champions League football.
While insisting to fans the club’s absence from Europe’s top tier will NOT have a long-term effect on their finances and ability to compete, Venkatesham did say Champions League football is a ‘minimum requirement’ for the Gunners and that the club needs to get ‘back to where it needs to be’.
And Seaman believes those comments were unfair on Emery, with the legendary former goalkeeper urging club chiefs not to interfere.
“Just let him get on with it,” he said on Wednesday's Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
“Don’t put added pressure on, there’s pressure on us anyway.
“If we get into the top four we’ve had a fantastic season but, for me, our best way to get into the Champions League would be to win the Europa League.
“But that isn’t going to be easy because the Champions League teams haven’t come into it yet, it’s a competition that gets harder and harder as it goes on.
“Just let Unai Emery get on with it, he’s doing a great job.
“He’s picked the club up and the team are playing with a lot of confidence, don’t put any added pressure on them.”