Mikel Arteta has admitted he still uses his experiences playing under Arsene Wenger for inspiration when he makes his own managerial decisions.
Mikel Arteta has been in charge of Arsenal for almost six years now, having taken over as the club’s head coach in December 2019.
But even this far into his managerial career at the club, Arteta insists he still thinks back to the spell he spent playing under Arsene Wenger between 2011 and 2016 for inspiration when he has big decisions to make.
“He’s there. He’s constantly living with me in the present,” Arteta said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him, what I learned and what he installed within me, the role that he allowed me to have and fulfil in this football club.
“Arsene as a person has such an aura and a personality that he lives with you. He’s constantly here. When I have to reflect and think about certain things, I always go back to that period: what is the way that he would do it? What are the things he would analyse and then make that decision?
“Then it’s up to you and your personality to deliver what you think is best.”
Wenger’s influence on Arsenal is undeniable, and Arteta is far from the only person in and around the club to feel grateful to the former Gunners manager.
Arsenal won three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups, and seven Community Shields under Wenger. They completed an unbeaten league season, built and moved into a new stadium, and Wenger now has a statue outside of that ground.
More than all of that, there are also countless players who have learned from Wenger, whether they’re now in management, punditry, or still playing.
It makes perfect sense that Arteta would look to Wenger in key moments, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.