Arsenal coach Emery gives support to under-fire Ozil

 
   LONDON, July 25  -- Arsenal coach Unai Emery has offered his support to the club's under-fire German midfielder Mesut Ozil.
   The 29-year-old retired from international football a week ago after a difficult summer in which he was first criticized for posing for a photo with Turkish president Recep Erdogan and then for his performances in Russia as Germany failed to survive group stage of the World Cup.
   Ozil accused the German Football Association (DFB) of "racism and disrespect", an accusation emphatically "rejects" and although Emery refused to take sides in the conflict, speaking at a press conference from Singapore where Arsenal are on tour, he did say the club would do its best to help Ozil.
   "All of us want to help Mesut feel like it is his home here with us, like a family and it is a family for every player," said Emery, who joined Arsenal himself at the end of last season.
   Emery was delighted the midfielder has made himself available for the tour and praised his attitude.
   "He feels here with us that he can work every day, and it is good for us that he decided to come here and work with us before our two matches (against Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint Germain)," said Emery.
   "He arrived on Sunday to travel and I prefer to give him the normality in the team and for him to feel good with us... He has experience, he has quality and he has a great mentality and we are going to help him feel good and to show his quality with us. I am sure he is going to have a big season with us," he continued.
   Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech also discussed Ozil, saying the conflict with the DFB was "a private personal matter for Mesut against the German Federation," but adding "as a team we support him here, we try to make sure he feels good, so he can train and perform at his best. As a team that's all we can do." Xinhua