Sometimes it can be the making of a managerial career when someone gets an unexpected chance after a manager is sacked, but it’s harsh if someone is judged purely on what they do in that difficult situation.
Freddie Ljungberg was thrown into an almost impossible situation after Unai Emery was sacked. He faced a squad which was low in confidence and quality, so he can’t be blamed for not being able to perform miracles.
That’s not to say his short spell reflects well on him, but this shouldn’t be the end of his Arsenal career either. A report from Football.London has indicated that Mikel Arteta is now expected to take over, but there could be some good news for the Swede.
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They indicate they their sources have said that Ljungberg will be offered the chance to stay on as the assistant head coach if he wanted to. That makes it sound like Arteta would come in as the new head coach, meaning Ljungberg would be his number 2.
That could be an interesting move if it does happen. Usually when a young coach becomes a manager for the first time it’s common to see an experienced coach step in to guide them through the first few years, but this would leave two rookies to guide each other and Arsenal into the future.
There could still be room for someone with experience to help them in a different capacity, but it would be brave for Arsenal to go forward with Arteta and Ljungberg.
There’s no indication either way if Ljungberg would want to stay on, but it’s hard to see him getting a better job at this point.