Mikel Arteta is drawing praise from all over the footballing world for his work at Arsenal, and his former teammates are impressed.
Arteta won two FA Cups in his five-year spell as an Arsenal player, including one as club captain, but he is now more fondly known for his work as a manager.
The Spaniard returned to the club in a time of crisis in 2019, and he was in his first job as a manager. After a few years of struggle, he has helped build a title-challenging squad.
He replaced Unai Emery, who endured a difficult reign as he replaced the legendary Arsene Wenger, and succeeding the Frenchman was never going to be easy for anyone.
Arteta is now flourishing where Emery failed though, and his former teammate Olivier Giroud has now praised him.
Former Arsenal star Olivier Giroud praises Mikel Arteta
Speaking via Sky Sports, Giroud praised the former midfielder for the work he has done as Arsenal manager, and claimed that he would like to see him stay for many years to come.
“I’m very happy for them, because Arteta is doing a great job. He had the time to build and to set up his ideas,” Giroud stated.
“He is a great manager I think, and hopefully he will stay as many years as Arsene (Wenger) stayed with them, I wish them the best.”
Olivier Giroud’s relationship with Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and beyond
Giroud joined Arsenal in the summer of 2012, just one year after Arteta arrived from Everton. The pair were key starters together for a few seasons, with both starting the 2014 FA Cup final.
Arteta retired from football in 2016 before joining Manchester City as a coach, whilst Giroud joined Chelsea in 2018.
Giroud started against Arteta’s Arsenal in the 2020 FA Cup final and played a key role for Chelsea, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a brace to carry his side to glory.
Speaking before the final, Arteta praised his old teammate.
“With Oli you can see in the last few months how he is performing, the amount of goals he has scored for them,” Arteta stated.
“We know him, he has the experience in the finals as well.
“I’m not surprised [by Giroud’s form], because I know Oli. He is a fighter. Even when he was playing for us and he had some difficult moments, he always reacted.
“He always works really hard and comparing with the greatest [forwards the club has had] is like always. They’ve done it and they did it for long periods where they were really successful at the club. So any comparison with them is always difficult.”
Giroud’s time at Chelsea left a sour taste in the mouths of Arsenal fans, but he is full of praise for his old club and teammate, and has enjoyed a successful career since leaving the Emirates.
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