It is safe to say that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has inspired a number of his former players to pursue management later in their respective sporting careers.
Former Etihad captain Vincent Kompany went on to impress at RSC Anderlecht, and after a number of clubs lined up to appoint him following his spell in Belgium, he joined Championship side Burnley earlier this summer.
Midfield legend Xavi is another high-profile example, who became Barcelona boss last term and is widely viewed as one of the finest young coaches in the game.
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Thierry Henry is renowned for his excellent work as the assistant manager for Belgium, which is known to have played a major role in the country’s impressive third place finish at the 2018 World Cup.
However, it is impossible to have this conversation without mentioning Mikel Arteta.
The now-Arsenal manager was Pep Guardiola’s assistant coach at Manchester City from 2016 to 2019.
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It is common knowledge that Arteta is known to have worked in an individual capacity with several players at the club, often giving them instructions and demanding where they can improve their games.
It has previously been revealed that the 40-year-old would spend time after training sessions with the likes of Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling to explain to the pair on how they can elevate their all-round performances.
Working on aspects such as positioning, off-the-ball movement and finishing, Mikel Arteta was crucial in the duo’s evolution into one of the most devastating pairings out wide in the division.
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Phil Foden, who especially worked in close quarters with the Gunners tactician during his early days as a first-team player at Manchester City sang his former colleague’s praises.
“Unbelievable," Foden said of his former colleague.
"I remember working with him closely after training on something, things that I needed to improve on,” he said in a recent interview with Amazon Prime.
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The 22-year-old continued, “I know how good he can be as a coach.
"I think he knows the right way to play for football, he's a great coach.”
The England international’s comments are clear for the world to see in action, as Arteta has carried out a commendable rebuild at Arsenal that makes them set to win major silverware in the future.
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Ultimately, it was the work done by Mikel Arteta behind-the-scenes that was vital in ensuring gems such as Phil Foden can fulfil their potential.
Topics: Phil Foden, Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, Manchester City, Premier League, Football
Srinivas Sadhanand