Arsenal youth coach David Horseman was slapped at a UEFA suspension within two weeks of joining the club. Horseman recently switched from Manchester United and briefly served as an assistant manager under the age of 21. Arsenal confirmed that the UEFA Pro Licensed Certified Coach arrived on September 19th, but he is already dressed in warm water.
UEFA issued him a one-match ban in a recent UEFA Youth League match between the Young Gunners and the Athletic Club of the UEFA Youth League, with “shaming players or others attending.” Arsenal’s under-19 lost the match 3-1 at Bilbao in his first match against the Horseman team in his new role as an elite player development coach. Manex Lozano Carmona and Elijah Gift’s Stoppage-Time Paneal braces denounced the defeat of the Premier League club youth team despite the equalizers of Brando Nyle Bailey-Joseph. The Horseman is scheduled to oversee the under-19 in his next European match against Olympiacos this Wednesday (October 1), and it is unclear whether Arsenal can appeal to his ban.
When it was announced to the North London Club on September 19, Arsenal said the jockey will work under the coaching of the Academy Coach Luke Hobbs and academy manager Merte Soccer, including head coaching under 21S, Max Porter “work closely with academy coaches and manage teams under 19 years old in the UEFA Youth League and EFL Trophy.”
Horseman has worked in all four English football divisions and previously served as coaching positions at the first team and academy level at Southampton, Watford, Bristol Rovers, Forest Green Rovers and Man United.
Speaking about life at Arsenal so far with the club’s official website, he said this week, “It was a bit of a whirlwind. Obviously I came straight. I’m going to Bilbao in two days and watching my first (youth) game, and I think I’ll have four or five games in two weeks.
“Everyone is very welcoming, Albert (Stuivenberg) was his class, Max (Porter). The academy does really, really good things, so that was the best decision I could have attended.
“The detailed knowledge and care of the academy youths has gone down Per (Mertesacker). It blew me away. I was lucky. I was doing a really good job, but from the top I never felt supported very early on.
“I’m really proud to be at Arsenal, lead the team and try to challenge players with all the staff because it’s all about the players and it’s not about me, it gives me the best chance to have a good career in the game.”
Horseman added the difficulties of his new job. “What you probably learned is that Bilbao and Olympiacos have teams under 19. We have teams under 18 and under 21.
“Boys aren’t always in the same training group, so that’s probably not a big deal, but relationships are created over a period of time, but you need to make sure that the initial team relationships are created and that they train every day.
“The boys have many different challenges in the umpire and the European games, and together with the Heat, Bilbao has been extremely warm where we played. It’s not something we have to deal with incredible amounts if we come out of the summer months in the UK!
“Everything that has been put in the mix is great for players’ learning and I really look forward to learning myself, which will be a huge education for me this past year.
“Christmas was like coming early for me. I love it. I’m very grateful and really appreciate it. I have to make sure I’m doing a good job for Arsenal now.”
Mertesacker, academy manager and former team defender, said when Horseman was appointed:
“As a person, he will be perfectly suited to our environment and culture and will continue to help promote our vision for the future. I look forward to how he will bring his skills back to life on and off the pitch.
