“I tried to push him away with my head. I apologise to everyone. I should not have got involved in it.”

It (Arsenal) is an English club but not an English success.

Until that issue is addressed, no Premier League team wants to be in the Europa League. That’s the reality, even if some don’t want to admit it.

We struggled with it at Newcastle and we were not alone in that among the English clubs.

It’s important that top clubs don’t lose sight of the fact that it’s the English Premier League and English players should be involved.

If you’ve seen the Harry Potter films, we use the term ‘dementors’ – people who can draw the life out of you in terms of your energy.

I didn’t listen to half of the criticism I received. I just didn’t let it enter my brain.

You have to have tactical plans to get a deal over the line.

You feel vulnerable when you hear things that are not being said.

I would not want to be the Europa League in the current format, that’s for sure.

You always have to have faith in your own abilities and that has to be evident to your players.

You are bound to want a player at some stage who is represented by this guy and you will have to try to work around the personality of the agent.

I don’t like people who drain my time and energy.

You tend to work out what makes them tick, what they respond to.

The one thing I hate about other managers is waffle that is nowhere near the truth. I would never conduct myself like that.

I have had situations in the past when you are close to signing a player and the money involved switches from euros to pounds to dollars. It is a difficult process, but one we have to work with.

Amid all the negativity at Newcastle, we achieved some great things.