He is the man who sits beside Mikel Arteta in Arsenal’s dugout wearing AirPods, a constant touchline presence who has long operated under the radar.
Assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg, a trusted lieutenant of Arteta since the Spaniard took charge of the Gunners in December 2019, is far more influential than most outsiders realise even though it took a heated half-time row with Declan Rice during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg victory over Chelsea to suddenly propel him into the limelight.
The midfielder clashed in the tunnel with the Dutchman and is believed to have claimed he ‘doesn’t know what the hell he’s on about’ before adding, ‘Oh for f***’s sake’ in an expletive-laden rant at Stamford Bridge. That’s according to lip reading expert Jeremy Freeman, who analysed the encounter for Daily Mail Sport.
Gunners defender Gabriel intervened, stepping between the pair and telling Stuivenberg, ‘Stop, please stop, please stop’. Rice, however, continued to shout and angrily gesticulate by shaking his head and throwing his arms up in the air.
The pair later embraced when the England man was taken off in the 82nd minute, seemingly drawing a line under the confrontation.
But the incident has raised a wider question: who is Stuivenberg, known as ‘AirPod Albert’ because he uses them to communicate with Arsenal’s in-game analysts who watch the game from higher vantage points, and what is his role?
Arsenal’s assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg (right) shot into the spotlight when he had a heated half-time row with Declan Rice during Wednesday’s Carabao Cup win over Chelsea
Stuivenberg has been a trusted lieutenant of Mikel Arteta since the Spaniard took charge of the Gunners in December 2019
Sources have told Daily Mail Sport that he is the man Arteta turns to in moments of crisis – a figure the Arsenal manager trusts implicitly due to his vast experience, which includes spells at Manchester United and with Wales.
When Daily Mail Sport asked about his No2 on Friday, Arteta said: ‘It’s the chemistry that you feel with the person. And immediately the first time that we got together and we started to talk about the possibility of working together, we had a good energy, we had a good feeling about it.
‘First, (he’s a) top person. Someone that is so easy to work (with), so open, so experienced and so good at dealing with a lot of people and departments because he has massive experience and the social skills to do that. And then somebody obviously in the tactical, technical, methodology level, who is top. So that’s why he’s been with us for a long time and I love to have him in the team.’
Arteta then added: ‘He’s someone that has a very clear opinion about what he wants, he’s really good at transmitting that. And he’s someone very, very valuable.’ Those ‘very clear opinions’ will likely have been felt by Rice on Wednesday night.
The 55-year-old first built a rapport with Arteta when studying for their UEFA A coaching licenses in Cardiff with the FAW, a connection that later prompted Arteta to bring him to Arsenal at the start of his reign.
Stuivenberg is described by those who know him as a sturdy character, who Arteta seeks advice from when discussing tactics and the positional intricacies of players.
The Gunners boss is obsessive and even single-minded in his tactical thinking, but it’s understood the assistant manager is seen as one of the few figures capable of influencing him, thanks to his excellent understanding of the game.
Not many can shape Arteta’s thinking – but he can, and often does. That level of trust is rare. Stuivenberg is also said to be Arteta’s go-to man when problems need solving quickly, whether that involves advice on in-game substitutions or handling off-field matters.
Arteta himself alluded to this, saying: ‘Especially when there are difficult moments, that’s when you see people and your staff, and Albert in that sense is top. When things are going well, maybe you don’t want to see him too much, but when you have to make a decision, when there is a problem, someone has to deal with something, he will be there and he will get things done. That’s a big quality of his.’
Stuivenberg is understood to be direct when communicating with players. No matter their status, he is quick to tell them where they are going wrong
His playing days ended at just 19 after a freak injury sustained when he tumbled out of bed as a teenager. The Dutchman turned to the dugout
He is understood to be direct when communicating with players. No matter their status, he is quick to tell them where they are going wrong in a game and how it can be fixed. This is not always easy for coaches dealing with well-established stars, but it doesn’t faze Stuivenberg. He has the mettle for it.
In many ways, Stuivenberg always seemed destined for a career in coaching. His playing days ended at just 19 after a freak injury sustained when he tumbled out of bed as a teenager.
The Dutchman turned to the dugout, spending 13 years in the academy at Feyenoord, where he played a role in developing future Arsenal striker Robin van Persie. He went on to work with the Dutch national youth teams and at Manchester United under Louis van Gaal, before further spells at Belgian side Genk and with Wales before joining the Gunners.
His last notable moment in the public eye came in January 2022, when he took charge of Arsenal against Manchester City while Arteta isolated after contracting Covid.
Despite his low public profile, Stuivenberg has been a key cog in Arsenal’s rise from mid-table to title contenders. And while Arteta remains the dominant figure on the touchline, insiders know that when the AirPods are in and the pressure is on, the manager’s most trusted voice is often the one sitting quietly beside him.
