Mikel Arteta has revealed that Arsene Wenger inspired him to become a manager and insists the Frenchman played an important role in him getting to this point in his managerial career.
Arteta played under Wenger at Arsenal as his last club before retiring to take up a coaching role at Manchester City in 2016.
He returned to the Emirates in 2019 after Arsenal had sacked Unai Emery and he remains in charge today.
It isn’t unusual for players to become managers when their playing career is over. However, sometimes they need someone to stoke that managerial fire in them and Arteta says Wenger deserves that credit.
While speaking about his former boss recently, he insisted the Frenchman could still motivate players in the current Arsenal squad if he comes around the Emirates.
“If it was not for him I would not be in the position I am today and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the career I had,” Arteta said at the premiere of Arsene Wenger: Invincible as quoted by Express Sports.
When quizzed on whether Wenger is the reason he became a manager, the former Man City assistant added: “100 per cent. I was still young and I had my ideas, but he was a different level of inspiration on how I looked at the game.
“He was very good at being able to transmit what a football club meant into the players and he put different question marks on me. That is why I started to study and take coaching much more seriously.
“I would like him to be more present at the club. I think the players would love him, benefit, and be inspired to have him around and I think for the club it would be a huge boost.
“It was so intense for him for over 20 years and you need to get away a little bit, but I think it would be so beneficial for all parties to have him more present.”
Wenger was one of the best managers Arsenal ever had and Arteta could reach that level.
The Spaniard might not manage Arsenal for as long as Wenger did, considering coaches get fired quickly in football nowadays, but his team’s current form suggests he would deliver trophies if we give him time on the job.
what a timely admission(lol)…unfortunately, thus far he’s adopted significantly more of the Wengerian traits that ultimately led to Arsene’s dismissal than those characteristics which helped him become, prior to our move to the Emirates, one of the greatest managers in the footballing world
Now I wonder how Loose Cannon will take this admission?
Trying to emulate Arsene Wenger?
Wanting him back at the club?
Dear God LC, what is MA doing, the magician that he is 😂😂😂😂