Marcel Lucassen, the Dutchman appointed as Arsenal's director of coach and player development in 2018, has disclosed that he found the club in a state of crisis when he arrived at the Emirates. In an interview with Dutch football magazine Voetbal International, Lucassen described the mess he inherited, contradicting the club's initial assessment that everything needed to be built from scratch.
Lucassen, who was hired from a list of 90 candidates, expressed shock at the lack of a coherent football philosophy. He said that when he asked 20 different people to describe the 'Arsenal Way,' most could not provide a clear answer, with only three mentioning the passing game. He noted that while there were various academy plans, none were based on a proper playing style or principles.
The Dutchman also highlighted deficiencies in the youth setup, stating that there was a lack of quality in certain age groups and very few players with Champions League potential. He pointed out an overabundance of technically gifted midfielders and no wingers, a problem that would take time to rectify. Additionally, he criticised the playing style, saying players made passes simply because they felt obliged to, rather than with purpose.
Lucassen revealed that interim manager Freddie Ljungberg wanted him as an assistant after Unai Emery's sacking, but he was unwell at the time. He sympathised with Ljungberg, who had to manage an unbalanced team with no leaders or clear playing style. However, Lucassen is optimistic about the return of Mikel Arteta as manager, believing his vision aligns with the academy's goals.
He singled out Bukayo Saka as a prime example of the club's potential, predicting he could become one of the world's best wing-backs. Lucassen also expects talents like Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith-Rowe, and Joe Willock to benefit from Arteta's guidance.
