FREDDIE LJUNGBERG does not expect to be Arsenal manager for much longer.
The Swede has been in temporary charge for four games after Unai Emery was sacked two weeks ago.
Freddie Ljungberg took over as caretaker manager after Unai Emery recent departure from the Gunners.Credit: Getty Images – Getty
But the club are stepping up their search for a new full-time boss and Ljungberg is not even sure if he will still be at the Emirates by the new year.
Technical director Edu and head of football Raul Sanllehi missed Thursday’s Europa League clash with Standard Liege to continue the recruitment process.
And Ljungberg admitted: “We have a tough run coming up and I will learn a lot about the players if I’m still here.
“The club have said I have to wait until they make a decision so I can’t do anything at the moment.
“Maybe we can do something with the staff when they make that decision or if I’m obviously leaving. But it’s up to the club. I haven’t got any indications of whether I’m staying or not.
“What I’ve said to the bosses is I will do everything in my power to do as well as I can for this club and the players.
“I try not to put any emotion into that. It’s totally business.”
Ljungberg, 42, admits he is struggling with the workload after being thrown in at the deep end following Emery’s shock departure.
He has already been interim manager for four games in 11 days this month and could have another five Premier League fixtures to contend
with over the crowded Christmas period.
He said: “If you look at the person who was here before me, he had a lot of staff to help him and maybe I don’t have so many.
“I have Per Mertesacker helping me with the coaching but at the same time he is also the academy manager.
“So if you keep on going like that for months and months, it’s not so easy.”
Now Ljungberg must juggle his injury-hit squad for tomorrow’s visit of champions Manchester City.
Yet he is relishing the chance to test himself against Pep Guardiola and admits he is trying to emulate the career of the City boss.
He said: “Pep is a tremendous, tremendous coach and, of course, I’ve looked at how he’s done his career. When he was the Barcelona B team boss I thought ‘OK, I’m also an assistant and with the Under-23s and the reserves here in England’.
“So I’m trying to see how he developed himself.
“The ideas he comes up with have revolutionised football. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and I’m looking forward to Sunday’s challenge.
Freddie Ljungberg says he has ‘100 per cent’ got what it takes to turn things around for Arsenal
“Manchester City are such a difficult opponent because they are so good with the ball.
“It seems like all their players know where to move before the ball gets there and they’ve been doing that for a few years now.
“It’s hard to defend against them but it’s up to us to contain certain areas so they cannot hurt us so much.
“It’s a top team we’re playing but we will try to put together a gameplan where we can combat their threat and be dangerous ourselves.”
Ljungberg will also be up against Guardiola’s coaching assistant Mikel Arteta, the former Arsenal midfielder who is a leading contender to take over as the club’s next permanent manager.
Edu and Sanllehi are hoping to get permission to speak with Arteta shortly and are also keen for talks with Carlo Ancelotti, Patrick Vieira and Mauricio Pochettino.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
