Laurent Koscielny is a fan favourite, which many believe leaves him exempt from warranted criticism at times.

However, it’s hard not to feel all warm and fuzzy after reading his recent interview with France Football.

“It’s more pride,” he said.

“It was the first time in the league. I’d already had the armband in the Cup against Sunderland and then Burnley, but this honour doesn’t add more pressure. I believe every player has an important role to play in a team and he needs to fulfil it.

“However, this armband will remain something important in my career. Legends like Tony Adams or Thierry Henry wore it before me. That’s not nothing!”

As reported by Sport Witness, he continued, “The fans didn’t know me. I could feel it. I arrived on my tiptoes. Wenger had spent around £10m on my transfer, but I never had problems fitting in. At the time, there were way more French players at the club. I was close to Sagna, Clichy and Squillaci, who helped me adapt.”

“Very thankful of the admiration pundits and players alike currently have for him, the defender also puts it down to the fact he may be having the best season of his career so far.

“I hope it doesn’t stop there, he added, I’ve gone a step further compared to my first five years in England. I’ve grown continuously to get where I am today.”

The centre back joined us in 2010 and not many of us – if any – really knew who he was. In fact, I distinctly remember a lot of grumbling that we’d signed some random, no-name, Frenchman. At the time, I was probably one of the grumblees. It was a frustrating time and he was completely unproven.

508910304 joshua king of bournemouth tussles with gettyimages
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 07: Joshua King of Bournemouth tussles with Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal during the Barclays Premier League match between A.F.C. Bournemouth and Arsenal at the Vitality Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

I’m sure everyone is in agreement now that Kos is very much proven and now, with Mikel Arteta… somewhere, and Per Mertesacker on the bench, he’s been temporarily handed the Captain’s armband. And he’s pretty bloomin’ proud of it.

In an age of football where players barely know the short term history of the club they’re playing for, it’s comforting to see one of our foreign players so proud to don the armband.