Labour leader Keir Starmer has explained why he’d currently compare himself to Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
The London-born politician is well-known for his love of Arsenal, with Starmer taking a keen interest in protecting football after 2021’s failed European Super League plan.
And the story of Arteta is one that has seemingly struck a cord with Starmer, with the Arsenal manager transforming the Gunners into one of the Premier League’s biggest messes into title contenders.
Now, speaking to Times Radio via the Independent, Starmer has likened his own rise and the new direction the Labour party to Arteta’s transformation of Arsenal since his appointment in 2019.
Starmer said when asked which leading figure he would compare himself to: “That’s actually an easy one for me at the moment because I feel an affinity with Arteta, the Arsenal manager
“If you look at his journey, he was appointed, it was hard to turn that Arsenal team around. To start with people said he can’t do it, there was talk about whether he should continue, and look what he’s done now.”
Keir Starmer can take lessons from Mikel Arteta’s rise at Arsenal
Football and politics are as intertwined as anything in the modern world, and it appears that Starmer has taken the saying to a whole other level.
The Labour leader’s love for Arsenal is no secret, and Arteta’s impact on the Gunners has now led the Basque manager to gain a powerful fan in Starmer.
Indeed, the former Manchester City coach is an example of what can happen to a club when the right figure is appointed for the right role at the right time.
And for Arsenal, the north London side would not be where they are now without Arteta, who has transformed the club back into one of the giants of English football.
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