ARSENAL, Arteta: "I will consider management one day"

© foto di RICHRD PELHAM

Mikel Arteta will consider a move into management when his playing days are over - even though he believes the job is more stressful than ever.

The midfielder has been a revelation since joining Arsenal last year and was recently appointed vice-captain by Arsène Wenger. At 30, Arteta has a number of years left on the pitch but his cerebral approach to his sport augurs well should he eventually swap the midfield for the technical area.

The Spaniard admits he has thought about his long-term future but he is wary of the pressure on modern-day managers.

"I don’t know [if I will be a manager], it’s a big thing nowadays because it’s really demanding," Arteta told Arsenal.com.

"I think the job has changed a lot in the last few years - you can see the stress and the responsibility managers have. Sometimes people don’t recognise that. To manage a group of players nowadays with 10 or 15 different countries involved with different personalities is a difficult thing to do.

"I have thought about it a lot and we will see what happens one day. It’s still early for that [decision]. Obviously you’re starting to get a few things from different managers and players and a key thing is they can help.

"Sometimes on the pitch as well you think about things that can be done better or in a different way, or how you play depending on if you’re winning and drawing and what the team needs to do."

Arteta worked under David Moyes at Everton and has also thrived with Wenger. The Spaniard's tactical awareness is one of his strengths but he believes that man-management is just as important in the top job.

"If you have 24 players, every one is different," he said. "One of the biggest mistakes I’ve seen is when you treat everyone the same. People say ‘everyone has to be the same’ - they have to be the same in certain roles, but everyone is different.

"The way you approach someone is very important. If you shout at someone, it depends on their character - you may kill him for the next 45 minutes.

"Sometimes you need to pinch someone because you know he has the character. He can involve the rest if he pushes and raises his level in the game. You have to recognise those characters and I think that’s a very difficult part of football management."