![]() "I feel gratitude because inspired me as a player and he inspires me and gave me the opportunities as a coach. ![]() "Every character and the person dictates how they are as a manager and then how the team is and we are very different. "I have never tried to copy and paste anything because I don't feel it, this club deserves much better than that and it wouldn't work that way," Arteta said. The striker won't be available to face his former club, but the contrasting role he has taken on at the Emirates highlights the subtle differences in the two managers. Perhaps Gabriel Jesus is the best example. The inverted full-backs, overloading midfield when Arsenal have the ball, are straight out of the Pep Playbook - but his side won't be looking to clone Manchester City when they face them on Friday. But of course, there are hints of his influence. ![]() Just like in his playing days, he is determined to cast off labels of a Guardiola impersonator and be his own man. Meanwhile, Arsenal were still redefining their own identity after the Arsene Wenger dynasty, and stuttering with the natural mis-steps which followed.Īrteta arrived back in north London with a clear plan, though implementing it - like Guardiola's early days at the Etihad - has taken time. City were significantly further along the line in their development, had far deeper pockets and had already become one of the world's most successful, best-run clubs. It was obvious he would have to go backwards to go forwards at the Emirates Stadium. For the second time in his career, this was time for Arteta to step out into the light and make a name for himself. It wasn't just about the lure of Arsenal though. One team, every time we scored a goal and I jumped and came back, and he was just sitting there. "I remember that when we were together here, when we scored a lot of goals with other opponents he always jumped and celebrated - except one team. "He's an Arsenal supporter, for the fact he used to captain there and he loves the club. "I know he went to the team that is his club, the team he dreams of," said Guardiola, ahead of this weekend's game. Arteta's former club were a temptation too good to turn down, and had he done so, there was no guarantee when such a chance would present itself again. "He helped us a lot, even though he was not our manager, he acted like he was a little bit in terms of helping and in terms of how present he was in all training sessions and all the games," he said.Īfter a three-year apprenticeship, Arsenal came calling. And it proved a shrewd move, as back-to-back Premier League titles followed.īernardo Silva explained the extent of Arteta's influence to Football Daily. Arguably the finest manager of his generation, trusting an untested coach to serve as one of his first-team assistants. It was another sign of their mutual respect. But once Arteta hung up his boots at the end of the following season, he didn't need much more convincing and within weeks had joined the Pep revolution at the Etihad. It was still too soon when Guardiola made his move into Premier League management at City in 2015. Within a year, Pep approached Arteta about taking on a coaching role.Īrteta told Sky Sports in December: "When I was 30, I remember when Pep made the first call to say: 'I might be coming to England, will you become my assistant?' I said: 'I'm still playing you know! It's still too early." When Guardiola's Barcelona faced Chelsea in 2012, he called the then-Arsenal midfielder for an inside line on their opponents. Their paths would not cross again professionally for more than a decade but they remained in touch, their personalities and footballing philosophies naturally drawn together. While Pep's playing career saw him Nou Camp pitch his own, Arteta - stuck behind the generational duo of Xavi and Andres Iniesta - had to look elsewhere to forge his playing career. ![]() ![]() That was the regard with which he held him even then.Īrteta later remembered: "To have that from someone like him, the best in that position, you cannot have anyone better than that helping you." After one pre-season friendly, Pep took aside the nervous 16-year-old, desperate to make a positive impression, and gave him a full run down and appraisal of his performance. If it was hard on Arteta, Guardiola's approach helped. Guardiola says his former assistant Arteta would've taken over as Manchester City manager if he left the club ![]()
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