Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong has admitted he used to find Mikel Arteta annoying during their time as team-mates at the Emirates Stadium.
Arteta spent five years at Arsenal as a player before retiring and going into coaching, with the Spaniard first working as assistant to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City before returning to Arsenal as manager in December 2019.
Recalling his time with his old team-mate, Frimpong admitted he used to find Arteta annoying due to how much he would talk to him and give him orders, though he now sees just how ready he was to eventually make the step into management.
Frimpong praised the job Arteta is currently doing at Arsenal, with the 40-year-old certainly making some impressive changes to the team in what was a difficult first job for him in football management.
Frimpong, speaking exclusively to Ladbrokes at the launch of their 5-A-Side bet on Arsenal v Fulham, said: “I was at Arsenal when Mikel Arteta came. What I remember of Mikel, is that he was always so serious. He always wanted to improve.
“I remember as a young player there, I was naive and just wanted to muck about and cheat my way out of training. Mikel would always come to me and tell me to do this and to do that, and to do it right. I thought, ‘god this guy is so annoying’.
“Looking back at it now, I think he had so much knowledge of the game. I wish he came to the club earlier because if he was there when I first joined, I think he could have been a role model for me because he is such a great professional.
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“He always had questions. Every time when we went to the training ground, he was always in conversation with Wenger. I am not surprised that he has become a manager. Even as a player, he was that kind of character. He wanted to help players and I am really happy for him.
“He is doing such a great job at the moment and long may that continue.”
Arsenal are currently top of the Premier League table, with Arteta’s side the only team so far to win all three of their opening league matches.