Ramsdale hails Arteta’s man-management skills, outlines title ambitions

Aaron Ramsdale says Mikel Arteta’s man-management skills are playing a fundamental role in Arsenal’s form this season with the players driven by a desire to “give back” something to their manager. 

While the Spaniard looks combustible on the touchline and is often spiky when facing the media, Ramsdale says the 41-year-old is more than capable of being empathetic behind closed doors and has developed a deep understanding of what makes each of his players tick.

“He galvanises the squad a lot just by his demeanour and his attitude,” says the goalkeeper in the latest episode of Michael Calvin’s Football People podcast. 

“The will for him to want to do well and win comes out in us. His enthusiasm on the training pitch around the place and his empathy, as well, is possibly a massive thing for myself. 

“Everyone has different things going on outside of football and without putting himself in front of you too much, he will understand and knows about everything. He takes time to speak to you and finds out what’s going on. 

“There can be days where he could be demanding the utmost, which he does every day, but if you’re having a bad day he’ll know why, he’ll come and put his arm around you or see if you’re alright and then he’ll change it for different players. That’s why the people he brings in and are excelling under him have a real sense of wanting to give back to him.”

While Ramsdale hasn’t worked with Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, when it was put to him that Arteta is in the same mould, the keeper suggested his manager’s varied experience as a player may even set him apart. At Rangers and Everton, Arteta was brought up around “old school” attitudes while at Arsenal he saw the evolution in dressing room culture at first-hand.

“I can’t speak for the other two as I’ve not played for them but I’d say our manager is more so [a man manager] that than them two,” said Ramsdale. 

“He’s younger and he’s seen the transition when he was playing of how the game is going from inside the dressing room, so he understands that as well. 

“For the likes of myself, he knows that he can be a little bit old school and try and get onto me if I’m not performing or doing the right things in training and then for others, he’s softly spoken, gives them confidence and a kick up the backside in a different way. 

“He’s definitely a people’s person. He’s very easy to talk to, to knock on his door is very easy. There’s still the fear-factor there but again, because he’s seeing it from both sides – the old school when he first started playing in Scotland and then the Premier League’s transition into how it’s going now – he’s more of a specialist in that sense than most people I reckon.”

Arteta’s only experience of winning a league title during his playing days came at Ibrox 20 years ago. Arsenal haven’t tasted such success since 2004. With the Gunners currently flying high at the top of the Premier League, there’s a real opportunity for the club and manager to end their respective waits for more league glory. 

For Ramsdale, who has never experienced challenging for major honours, the experience is completely new. It’s the same for many in Arsenal’s young squad but the hunger is there to write their names in the history books.

“It’s what we want, there’s nothing getting talked about in the dressing room at the minute because we know what can happen and who is chasing us, but I’m sat here with you now and there’s a real chance that we can do this,” he said. 

“People know that inside the dressing room but it’s not like the lads are openly talking about it because things can happen. 

“We could go on and do really well and a team puts together a 17-game winning streak which could pip us at the end or things like that. There’s a real chance that we can do it and it’s what every person in the building from media to chefs, everyone is working towards it. 

“It’s not just the players and the coaching staff, it’s such a weird thing to think about, especially for me, as 18 months ago I was relegated. Now we’re sat here. 

“We’re in February, and usually you start thinking, we’ve only probably got 12 games to go normally and we’ve still got not 19 games, so no one is getting ahead of themselves but, I can sit here and say there’s a hell of a chance that we can do it.”

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Aaron talks about a lot more in the full interview, including how he’s trusted to start Arsenal’s attacks, his attitude in one-on-one situations and the personality needed to become a top-level keeper. Goalkeeping coach David Preece and former Arsenal player Adrian Clarke also add their expert opinion on a range of current issues. We thoroughly recommend you give it a listen! 

Michael Calvin’s Football People is available wherever you get your podcasts from or you can click below and listen to it here.