Robert Pires Hopes Player Knowledge Can Earn Senior Role at Arsenal Under Unai Emery

Ex-Arsenal player Robert Pires believes that he would be an ideal addition to Unai Emery's backroom staff due to his existing relationships with the club's players.

Pires won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups during a successful six-year spell with Arsenal under Arsene Wenger, and over the last two years he has spent a lot of time at the club's training ground, keeping fit and interacting with the players.

Wenger was replaced at the end of the season by former Sevilla and PSG manager Emery, who is expected to bring in some of his favoured backroom personnel; Juan Carlos Carcedo, Pablo Villanueva, and Julen Masach.

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Pires believes that he would also be a valuable asset to Emery while the Spaniard gets accustomed to life at the Emirates.

"If I join Unai Emery's staff, I think it should be good for me, and I hope it should be good for Unai Emery," Pires told ESPN.

"I could be like a bridge between him and the players because I know the players. For two years I have trained with the guys. So all of them, they respect me.

"And I respect the players, I was an ex-player. So the relationship between the players and me is good. That's why I think I can help Unai Emery."

Several ex-Arsenal players are set to move into coaching roles at the club. Per Mertesacker is taking charge of the club's academy, with Freddie Ljungberg likely to be appointed as a new academy coach. 

Former goalkeeper Jens Lehmann could also be set to take a coaching role, and Pires believes that it's crucial to have that sort of experience on board.

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"For the legacy, of course, it's very important for the club to keep ex-Arsenal players," said the Frenchman.