Panic at Emirates as Arsenal Sack Coach Following Disappointing Season

Panic at Emirates as Arsenal Sack Coach Following Disappointing Season

Babajide Orevba, Ibitoye Shittu
updated at April 12, 2023 at 7:46 PM

- Steve Bould's sacking came after he led Arsenal's U23s team to a 10th-place finish in the Premier League 2

- Bould has spent 30 years at Arsenal both as a player and football coach, with his greatest highlight coming in 2012 when he was promoted to become Arsene Wenger's assistant

- He had previously helped the U18 side win back-to-back Academy titles between 2009 and 2010

- Per Mertesacker is due to take his role in interim capacity pending the appointment of a long-term replacement

Arsenal have cracked the whip on Under-23 coach, Steve Bould, following the team's disappointing campaign this season.

Panic at Emirates as Arsenal Sack Coach Following Disappointing Season
Steve Bould's sacking came after he led Arsenal's U23s team to a 10th-place finish in the Premier League 2. Photo by David Price.
Source: Getty Images

Bould has spent three decades with the Gunners both as a player and a coach but has been working with the junior side since June 2019.

According to SunSport, the 58-year-old tactician was given the boot after Arsenal's U23s finished 10th in the 13-team Premier League 2 this season.

The publication added Academy chief Per Mertesacker will be taking charge in interim capacity as he also leads the hunt for a long-term replacement.

Bould initially joined the north Londoners as a player in 1988 and went on to form an important part of the team as he racked up more than 370 appearances across competitions.

During his spell as a player, he won three league titles and two FA Cup trophies before he wound his career at Sunderland during the 1999/2000 season.

He made a return to Arsenal a year later, taking up a role as a youth coach at the time.

His most successful reign as youth coach was with the Gunners' Under-18s who he led to back-to-back Premier League Academy titles between 2009 and 2010.

In 2012, he was promoted to the first team, replacing Pat Rice as Arsene Wenger's assistant manager.

However, he later swapped places with Freddie Ljungberg in what was a major shake-up at the Emirates in 2019.

The legendary centre-back is widely credited for his role in developing top stars including Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and most recently - Folarin Balogun.

However, following his wards' disappointing run of form this campaign, the Arsenal board has decided to get rid of him.

“Things are being worked through and an appropriate announcement will be made at the right time," an Arsenal spokesperson was quoted saying on the development.

His exit comes amid the Gunners' below-par performances even with the senior team which face the prospect of missing out on European football next season.

Mikel Arteta's men are rocked in ninth on the standings with 58 points with a match left to end the season.

Authors
Babajide Orevba photo
Babajide Orevba
Babajide Orevba is a CAF accredited Nigerian journalist and HOD of the Local Desk with over 10 years of experience in media landscape.He studied NCE Political Science/Social Studies, AOCOED.
Ibitoye Shittu photo
Ibitoye Shittu
Editor- Local Desk
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