Kieran Tierney has revealed how Mikel Arteta has helped him to improve his game over the last 18 months, and his pep talk ahead of the European Championships has stuck with him.
The Spaniard took over as manager in North London in December 2019, and appeared to bring a rise out of his players almost right away.
Arteta is believed to have a very hands-on approach to coaching, and that appears to have had a very positive reaction from his players.
Tierney has now revealed that the Spaniard gave him a motivating pep talk before he left to join up with his Scotland side for the upcoming European Championships.
He told the Scottish Sun: “I had a meeting with the Arsenal manager and he just told me, ‘Go and express yourself with Scotland, enjoy yourself, bring energy to the team, bring energy to the camp’.
“He’s always so supportive of me, and tremendously positive. The manager always brings the best out of me.
“With regards Scotland for the Euros he also said, ‘Give everything you have, that’s how you get the best out of yourself, and it will help the team the most’.”
Tierney added that Arteta has helped to improve his game ‘massively’, saying: “I listen to everything the manager tells me, word for word. I love working with him, he’s helped me massively.
“If you can see the differences in my game in the last 18 months or so it’s because of Mikel Arteta and what his coaching staff have been telling me to do.
“I’ve been working on their advice every day. I’m really grateful for what the gaffer’s done for me.”
Are Tierney’s improvements proof that Arsenal’s decision to stick with Arteta was the right one?
Patrick