One former Arsenal staff member has now provided an insight into Mikel Arteta’s working methods.
Mikel Arteta has introduced and pioneered some strange and novel techniques in his time as Arsenal manager.
The Spanish coach has often preached the importance of unity, and of creating family-like connections within the club.
In order to encourage his Arsenal squad to bond this summer, Arteta ensured that the seating arrangements were changed at every meal time. This forced all the players and staff to mingle and talk to each other, preventing any cliques from forming within the group.
Even more bizarrely, Arteta had professional pickpockets infiltrate one Arsenal dinner, where they proceeded to steal valuables from the players, as part of a lesson in the importance of remaining aware and alert at all times.
The manager is a passionate and unconventional figure. These attributes can be seen in his touchline behaviour too, as Arteta is always an animated figure in the dugout.
Arteta’s methods and ideas have seen him garner a reputation as one of the great up and coming coaches in the game.
What Mikel Arteta expects of his Arsenal coaching staff
Like all great managers, Arteta is something of a control freak. His presence can be felt all over the club. He is on the training ground, faces up to the media, works closely with sporting director Edu on transfers and contracts, and goes the extra mile in pursuit of success.
To exemplify the latter point, before pre-season officially started this summer, Arteta hosted an Arsenal training camp in Marbella. He is clearly hoping that this extra work will give his side an edge in the title race this season.
According to The Athletic, Arteta has a reputation in some quarters for not wanting his “authority challenged,” sparked by his habit of surrounding himself with young coaches.
However, former Arsenal coach Andreas Georgson, speaking to the aforementioned publication, has now hit back against this myth.
He said: “I think we were all selected because we were not just ‘yes men.’
“As a manager, you can make it really comfortable for yourself. Or you can get a group of qualified people that are willing to speak their minds — and that’s what Mikel did.
“There could be a bit of friction, there could be intense discussions, but the loyalty was always to the group, and Mikel always wanted the best idea to win.
“I think Mikel looks first at the knowledge, the passion and the loyalty, rather than the CV.”
Who are the Arsenal coaches?
Assistant manager Albert Stuivenberg is one of the more experienced members of Arteta’s coaching staff, at 54-years-old. Meanwhile, assistant coaches Miguel Molina and Carlos Cuesta are far younger, at 31 and 29-years-old, respectively.
Cuesta has already been considered for management roles elsewhere, and is very highly rated.
Meanwhile, Nicolas Jover is Arsenal’s set-piece mastermind, and the 42-year-old’s work produced remarkable results last season.
48-year-old Inaki Cana in the Gunners’ goalkeeping coach, and worked with David Raya at Brentford before they were reunited in North London.
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