Arsene Wenger says Mikel Arteta’s diligence in training and eye for detail sets him up perfectly for life as a coach when he calls time on his playing career.
Pictured last week talking to Pep Guardiola in the aftermath of the Gunners’ 2-0 victory against Bayern Munich it’s believed the 33-year-old plans to take his UEFA coaching badges when he retires; a rumour further fuelled by the fact the Spaniard has been helping out with Academy training sessions at Hale End and London Colney.
Speaking about his captain’s leadership qualities, Wenger told Arsenal Player that he truly hopes Arteta passes on his experience to the next generation.
“Mikel has a huge influence even when he is not playing. He is super conscientious, and every morning two hours before training he prepares and that is absolutely right.
“Just through his behaviour, his focus on getting everything right in the team, he has a huge influence. He has great experience and is respected throughout the squad.
“I really hope Mikel considers going into coaching. When you manage, you want to see your players continue and see them give their experience and knowledge back.
“You want them to give their expertise of the way we want to play football and the way we want to behave. It would be great if someone like Mikel went into management, so somewhere the spirit of our game can survive through the players who have played for us.”
Having missed a huge chunk of last season after needing surgery on an ankle problem, it’s a concern that Arteta again sidelined by a knock to the same area. The man himself admitted in the summer he weighed up his fitness situation before committing to a contract extension.
“At the moment I must say Mikel is still here as a football player,” continued Wenger, obviously at pains to stress the importance of the midfielder as backup to Francis Coquelin.
“The first thing in life, when you sign the contract you have to give absolutely everything to the job you have signed for and I think he does that very well.
“He has the quality to be a manager in the future I’m sure, but at the moment he gives his focus on the job as a player and gives absolutely everything.”
With Remi Garde being linked with the Aston Villa job, Arseblog News thinks it’s interesting that of all the Arsene Wenger-era Gunners only Tony Adams has had a stint as a Premier League manager. TA6 took over at Portsmouth in 2009 and lasted just 16 games picking up only 10 points.
David Platt, after an ill-judged few months with Sampdoria, had a two-year coaching stint at old club Nottingham Forest that included a couple of games at centre-back…but they’d already been relegated from the top flight. He’s now in India coaching FC Pune where weirdly one of his peers is Nicolas Anelka; the manager at Mumbai City.
Steve Bould is in the dugout at the Emirates, Gilles Grimandi is an Arsenal scout and the rest of the legendary back four are busy with media work. The likes of Edu and Marc Overmars have moved into the boardroom at Corinthians and Ajax respectively, Oleg Luzhny had a couple of spells as interim manager at Dynamo Kiev and Silvinho was an assistant at Inter Milan. Pascal Cygan never did get that job on the Arsenal board.
Many of the ‘Invincibles’ generation have taken their coaching badges, some taking on high-profile training ground roles – Dennis Bergkamp at Ajax and Patrick Vieira at City come to mind – while others like Freddie Ljungberg, Jens Lehmann and Sol Campbell are still on the lookout for jobs. Then there’s Thierry. We all know about him…
It’s obviously not as easy to follow in Arsene’s steps as many might expect.
Oh, just imagine Thierry one day coming back in a manager role. Just imagine that.
Well, he would have sold Ozil for Fabregas. So, I am not so sure about that right now.
In addition to that, I doubt that him working with ‘people who have managed zero games’ but know for a fact that Wenger is ‘either naive or arrogant’ does his managerial credentials any good.
Was Tony Adams not Portsmouth manager whilst they were in the Premier league?
TA did manage portsmouth in the PL, right?
He did yeah, we’ve updated. 16 games in total. Apologies for any confusion.
Tony Adams wanted Arsene’s job but showed no ability for it.
In the light of Lego’s refusal to send a bulk order to dissident artist Ai Weiwei on political grounds,
maybe we could send Mikel out to China in an act of solidarity?
We’ll check with Aisene WeiWeinger…
where is Cygan’s name among the list? this piece needs a serious editing
Added 😉
When Mikel came on vs Watford he had to make sure his lego hair was in place first (took a good couple of seconds) before he made his way to the touchline. That made me chuckle.
I can see him moving into management. He will make a great coach.
The picture should have a caption ” Arsene and Mikel practice their duck face before sending a get well soon card to maureen”
I’ll say it and I’d probably will get down voted on this. Mikel Arteta will make a better manager than King Henry.
I agree – although both could make a great career out of it. They’re intelligent students of the game, but it depends on how much hard work they both will want to put in. Thierry’s already begun that path but great coaches don’t always make great managers.
Exactly.. I think the pressure will be on Henry as soon as he manages.. Be it at Arsenal or other club. Somehow I like the cool calmness of Mikel. Quietly going about his business. But we never know. It could be the other way around. All hail King Henry and and Mikel Arteta.
For good measure Hail Hydra!!
It’s a difficult spot because we’d all like to see these guys come back to do the job. I mean, I’ve heard Bould, Lehmann, Arteta, Henry, Bergkamp, Mertesacker (some ways down the road), etc. as someone the fans might want to see come back as manager. Obviously timing’s a big part of it in the end, but isn’t it nice to have a Barca-esque potential wishlist for the manager’s role, albeit for some time from now.
Why would any of them bother, when TGSTEL will eventually eclipse them all by demonstrating how it’s done?
Bendtner’s statue *will* bestride Ashburton Grove on day, it’s only a question of when, not if
You think he could be TGMTEL?
I think it’s been foretold. I mean, look at the facts:
– Ferguson runs, scared, oops I mean retires
– Mourinho melt down
– Klopp retires, oops I mean goes to Liverpool
– Tim Sherwood talks himself up as a tactical genius, immediately sacked
– AW gives up talking about “mental strength” instead being satisfied to talk about a “good week”
These things only make sense when we understand that they have all seen what is coming – NB52, but in a sheepskin coat, cigar rampant
I’d actually pay to see Jens Lehman go into management.
Very intelligent, down to earth and well spoken guy, think he’ll make an excellent coach.
“You want them to give their expertise of the way we want to play football and the way we want to behave.”
Keywords I caught there: “way we want to behave.” Indirect dig at Jomo? I think so. Lovely!
“Jomo”?? Reallly??
Always felt him and metasacker have it in them to be top managers