Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta expressed unreserved respect for former Premier League manager Jose Mourinho in a recent press conference. Arteta, who has been compared to Mourinho by pundits, acknowledged the Portuguese manager as a significant influence on his career.
Arteta, who was coached by Mourinho during his time at Barcelona, spoke highly of the managerial legend, saying, “For sure, I’ve known him since I was 15 years old. He coached me at Barcelona. He’s won 26, 28 titles. So he is someone to really admire the way he’s done it, the way he’s changed the culture in clubs, the way he’s done it in different countries.”
Interestingly, Arteta also admitted to enjoying the psychological aspect of football, a trait often associated with Mourinho. “I don’t always reveal my pre-match strategies,” Arteta confessed. “I don’t want to make it easy for anybody. The opponent has to work and think and prepare and make sure they do their homework like I have to. I wish I knew their starting XI, who is on the bench, but I don’t. It is our job to guess and do the work we have to do.”
This candid admission highlights Arteta’s strategic mindset and his willingness to engage in the mind games that are an integral part of football management. While he respects Mourinho’s legacy, Arteta is keen to carve out his own path and identity as a manager.
Arteta’s comments come in the wake of comparisons drawn by Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, who suggested that Arteta is gradually morphing into a Mourinho-type manager. Arteta, however, is quick to downplay these comparisons, stating, “I don’t talk about myself. That’s his job to talk about others, so I let him give his opinion. I take it as an opinion, i don’t like myself being compared to anybody, because I’m myself. I don’t do things because other people are doing things. I do things that I believe are the best for the players and for the team to get success and play the way we want to play.
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