De Maesschalck Talks Recruitment, Arteta And Academy Ambitions

Pascal De Maesschalck says joining Arsenal has given him the chance to test his methods at the highest level, with the new Academy Director determined to develop players capable of meeting the first team’s demanding standards.

Three months into the job, the Belgian is relishing the challenge at a club he regards as one of Europe’s best. Recruited from Strasbourg, where he served as technical director, the 52-year-old had big shoes to fill, literally, when he succeeded Per ‘BFG’ Mertesacker.

The German’s departure ended an association stretching back to 2011, but also offered an opportunity to bring fresh ideas to the Academy. While the club has an enviable track record of channelling top talents into the first team, developing the players below that standout group, whether for a future at Arsenal or a career elsewhere, remains an important part of the job.

It is too early to assess De Maesschalck’s influence, although his enthusiasm is clear. Quite how the opportunity arose remains something of a mystery to him.

“I actually still have no idea how they ended up with me,” he told Belgian publication Sporza.

“I have always learned to do your job as well as possible, and then opportunities arise. Not thinking in advance: ‘I want to do that.’

“In my case, a club of Arsenal’s calibre came along, which is a completely different dimension from where I was able to work before.

“I walked out [of the interview process] with a good feeling. I said: even if I don’t get the job, I still learned a lot in the past two hours. Our ideas aligned well.”

Last season’s Premier League title and Champions League final appearance leave him in little doubt about the level Arsenal are operating at, or the demands of preparing players to make the step up.

“After last season, you can say that it [Arsenal] is the best club in Europe. If you win the Premier League, which is a tough competition, and you play in the Champions League final, then you are in the top three in Europe.”

“That is the challenge for me now. Does my approach work at the very highest level?

“Don’t forget, working in the Premier League is completely different from in Belgium or France. You have the Brexit story, the rules are completely different.

“It is still the same game, the same players, but it is presented completely differently. That is my challenge.”

As a result of the post-Brexit rules, Arsenal’s summer recruitment was largely focused on young players based in Great Britain and Ireland. Elijah Upson, Igor Tyjon, Phoenix Blayney, James Scanlon, Axel Donczew, Habeeb Ogunneye, Mylo Bernard and Vincent Joseph arrived to bolster the various age groups, suggesting a more active approach to bringing talent into the Academy.

For De Maesschalck, finding the right players is fundamental. That means spending time watching them, but also building relationships away from the pitch.

“I watch many matches. I also build relationships with the players and their parents, because I think it is important to know the players personally. It remains a ‘people’s business’.

“And recruitment, of course. That is the most important thing. You can have the best facilities or operations, but with the wrong players, it won’t work.”

Those players also need a route into senior football, making Arteta’s willingness to work with the Academy particularly important. De Maesschalck has been encouraged by the manager’s support and impressed by the standards he sets in training.

“His training sessions, I have never seen anything like that anywhere else. And I have seen a lot of training sessions from a lot of coaches.

“What he does at the level of the details is astounding. When you talk to him about football, it is about details, discipline, respect… He is an absolute winner, but also a very pleasant person.

“Arteta wants to collaborate and also wants to give the young people a chance. He has very clearly expressed his support for this. Our ambition is to write the definitive training story of England.”

This is the first we’ve heard from the Belgian since he took charge, and he’s certainly set himself a lofty target. If he can deliver on that ambition to write England’s definitive training story, we’ll have plenty more reason to hear from him.

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