Former Arsenal player Mikel Arteta served the team as a footballer between 2011 and 2016 before representing the club as the team’s manager. Arsene Wenger signed the player from Everton and arrived with a bag full of experience to the young Arsenal team.
He is now regarded as one of the football manager across the globe with astute knowledge of the game. After taking charge of Arsenal late in the year 2019, the tactician has led the side to two Premier League title contention and an FA Cup triumph.
Turning Point for Theo Walcott
Theo Walcott, who retired in 2023, recalls a defining moment that highlighted Arteta’s leadership and he began to see his potential as a future manager.
One of Arteta’s early moments is an experience that striker, Theo Walcott, narrated speaking on William Hill’s “Up Front with Simon Jordan,” Walcott recalled an instance when Arsenal was not settled in the top four.
On the same light, Theo Walcott remembered the time Mikel literally locked the dressing room, it’s like he was saying ‘I’m taking control of this whole space.’ It will always stick with me, it was like he was the manager there in that moment,” Walcott said.
Arteta’s Influence
Many actions like locking the players in the dressing before training for urging them to tell the truth warmly impressed Walcott. ‘We were able to finish the top four for that particular year and that only speech’, he said.
This time even Wenger himself had to trail outside demonstrating the toughness that Arteta had in him. ”He wanted that in the comfort of civilization there are persons around you telling the truth to your face and he succeeded,” concluded Walcott.
