Manuel Almunia: It’s good to feel wanted again

Manuel Almunia is rebuilding his career at Vicarage Road after a series of costly blunders for the Gunners
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Giuseppe Muro28 August 2012

Manuel Almunia feels loved again and today admitted he is determined to put his dark days at Arsenal behind him by helping Watford reach the Premier League.

The goalkeeper was out of favour with Arsene Wenger following a string of high-profile errors and spent the last two seasons on the sidelines, the forgotten man at Emirates Stadium.

He only made a handful of appearances for the Gunners after a disastrous 3-2 defeat against West Brom in September 2010 before eventually being released at the end of last season.

Such disappointment might have been terminal for a lesser character but Almunia, 35, is slowly resurrecting his career at Vicarage Road under Gianfranco Zola.

Watford’s new No1 has been ever present since agreeing a one-year deal last month and is expected to retain his starting spot against Bradford in the Capital One Cup tonight.

“I feel wanted at Watford and that is a big factor for me,” he said. “The players respect me a lot and I can feel that. I’m feeling settled and I’m happy here. The most important thing is being back in the game, being back on the pitch, being back with the team and being involved every Saturday.

“Of course, I didn’t have a chance to do anything but train [at Arsenal last season]. I was nearly out of the club and I knew it from the start of the season. But I stayed at Arsenal like a gentleman and trained every day.

“Now, I feel good in myself and that’s crucial because in football the mind is more important than the physical part of playing. A mentally healthy player is a much better player.”

Almunia, who made 175 appearances during eight years at Arsenal, rejected offers from Greece and Turkey before agreeing his move to Watford.

“They offered me a good project here, an opportunity to play again and to be in London, where I wanted to stay this year,” he said. “I spoke to Gianfranco on the phone but I didn’t have to think about it too much.

“Everything is right here, the club is well organised and I didn’t have to move home. That was a big point because London is a good life for me, my wife loves London and the football here is taken seriously.”

Almunia is one of nine new signings at Vicarage Road since the Pozzo family took over the club and Zola was appointed manager last month.

Watford’s new Italian owners have targeted a return to the Premier League and are expected to supplement the squad before the transfer window closes on Friday. Former Italy international Marco Cassetti became the latest arrival when the 35-year-old defender joined on a season-long loan from Udinese, the Pozzo’s Italian club, yesterday.

“The staff are bringing good players here and I think we have enough quality to be fighting at the top of the table,” said Almunia. “The squad has the potential to do anything the players want. I believe that it’s down to the players and how big their desire is to win every weekend.

“I would love to play in the Premier League with Watford. That would be unbelievable and that is what we are working towards.”

Almunia’s departure from Arsenal this summer was followed by the high-profile exits of Robin van Persie and Alex Song. Almunia, who joined the Gunners from Celta Vigo in 2004, believes Van Persie moved to Manchester United because Arsenal lacked ambition in the transfer market.

“I think Robin saw that Arsenal didn’t sign players as good as he wanted them to be this summer,” said the keeper, who trains next door to his former team-mates at Watford’s London Colney base. “I know him well and he always wanted to win, he had been at Arsenal for a long time without winning and that was another main factor.

“But life goes on. People choose their way in life and Robin chose to leave. I wish him luck because he deserves everything good that happens to him.”

Arsenal replaced Van Persie with Lukasz Podolski, Olivier Giroud and Santi Cazorla but have started their season with uninspiring goalless draws against Sunderland and Stoke.

Wenger has come in for the most sustained criticism of his 16-year spell in charge but Almunia insists the manager has the backing of his players.

He said: “Everybody respects him and they trust him, always. In all my years at Arsenal, I didn’t see any players rebel against Arsene Wenger and that is strange at a big club. He is like a father to the players and everyone has so much respect for him.

“I’ve been back there to visit a couple of times and see everyone. We will always respect each other, he [Wenger] has always been respectful to me.”

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