Former Everton star Phil Jagielka played alongside Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for several years, and has now praised his ex-teammate for the job he has done in North London.
Jagielka, once Everton’s captain, played alongside Arteta, who was a key player under David Moyes until he moved to Arsenal in 2012 in a deadline-day move which would prove to be historic.
At Arsenal, Arteta won the FA Cup as club captain, before retiring at the Emirates and later returning as the manager who would make them title contenders again.
Jagielka was also wanted by Arsene Wenger at a similar time to Arteta’s move from Goodison Park, and the defender even admitted that it was “difficult” to see the Spaniard leave. Over 12 years later, he has now explained why Arteta deserves more praise.
Phil Jagielka praises Mikel Arteta for Arsenal impact
Speaking to Ben Foster’s Fozcast Channel, Jagielka claimed that Arteta deserves more credit for the job he has done as Arsenal manager.
“When obviously Arsene (Wenger) left, a couple of managers have struggled since, and even when Mikel came in I think it was a little bit of a Hail Mary from the board to give him the job, because he did not have experience before,” he stated.
“What he’s done, not only has he got Arsenal to the best finishes they’ve had for a long time in the Premier League, but he’s sorted out that squad, and he’s got quite a young squad.
“He’s not going shopping at the over 30 market, he’s bought talent for now and for the future, but he’s been very clever in it. He’s obviously taken his time with who he’s brought in, and he’s generally gotten rid of the players he didn’t want, he’s made some big decisions over his time, with the captains and stuff and he’s gotten rid.
“He’s showing these he’s prepared to do the good, the bad and the ugly, and for me, he’s reaping the reward and the benefits.”
Phil Jagielka claims Mikel Arteta showed signs of being a coach at Everton
Jagielka was then asked whether he knew Arteta would become a manager one day during their time together, and he revealed what the Spaniard would often do behind the scenes.
“He had an element of him as obviously a captain, I use the word selfish but I don’t mean it in a bad way, he just knew exactly what he needed and what he wanted, so would do extra physio, extra sessions, sit out of a session, and do whatever he knew his body needed, so he’s very methodical in that way,” Jagielka added.
“Tactically he was always good, he could play right midfield, left midfield, centre-mid, and he did a role and he knew it all, and even in sessions when you’d be doing build-up play, you could see him asking questions or and prodding and suggesting little tweaks.
“His intellect was always there, and that’s the way he’s gone to be a manager. For me, he’s been everything Arsenal needed, but he’s not gotten the recognition for it.”
Jagielka is not the first player to claim that Arteta had all the signs of becoming a top manager one day, as Theo Walcott also revealed that he believed the Spaniard would go on to become a success.
With Arteta successfully rebuilding Arsenal on and off the pitch to recover from turmoil to become title contenders, perhaps he does deserve more credit for what he has achieved so far given the difficulties he has faced in his first-ever job as a manager.
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