Man City boss Pep Guardiola has made a big admission about a conversation with a West Ham man that Arsenal fans will love to hear.
When asked to name managers who influenced him most during his career as a player and coach, many might assume Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta would default to the great Guardiola.
Especially after their time together as players at Barcelona and of course as part of the management team at Manchester City.
But Gunners manager Arteta, who rose to prominence in the Premier League under West Ham boss Moyes at Everton, always doffs his cap to the Scot.
“I think he made me a better person, made me mature in the earlier stages of my career,” Arteta once told The Guardian about Moyes before facing West Ham with Arsenal.
“I really liked how he managed the group as well as the individuals. He really installed a real belief around the club to be together all the time, to look after each other, and nobody was more important than the team. He really created a special atmosphere when we were together.”
The feeling is clearly mutual.
Earlier this season Moyes took a pop at those at Arsenal and in the media who doubted Arteta insisting he could see what the Gunners were becoming.
Arteta has completely rejuvenated Arsenal into one of the most exciting, young, vibrant teams in Europe.
Many credit Man City boss Guardiola as one of the big reasons behind Arsenal’s success.
There is a belief that Guardiola – and Arteta’s time under his compatriot at Manchester City – developed him into the coach he is today, to Arsenal’s obvious benefit.
Clearly there is no doubt Guardiola and the Man City spell played a big role in Arteta’s development. The Spaniard admits as much himself and idolises Guardiola.
Many assume Guardiola brought Arteta to Man City and set him on the pathway to his Arsenal success story due to pre-existing friendship or Spanish connections.
But Man City boss Guardiola has made a big admission about a conversation with a West Ham man that Arsenal fans will love to hear.
Because it was actually West Ham boss Moyes who convinced Guardiola that he should bring Arteta into the Man City fold.
And the rest, as they say, is history – and very much history in the making for Arsenal under Arteta.
Speaking ahead of Man City’s win over Arsenal in the FA Cup last night, Guardiola was asked what made him take a chance on Arteta when he had no coaching experience.
The answer, a 30-minute conversation with West Ham boss Moyes, who was then managing Sunderland.
It proved a conversation that would change the trajectory of not only Arteta’s career but Arsenal Football Club too.
“I didn’t know Mikel really well before, I knew a little bit through a (mutual) friend… I remember the first game we played I think it was against Sunderland and we played against David Moyes in that moment, now at West Ham,” Guardiola said in his press conference.
“He said ‘I know him very well, he was in Everton with me, he can do this, he can do that, his strategy, his set pieces’ and after a few minutes or half an hour of (speaking to Moyes) I said ‘yea he’s (Arteta) the guy he can help me, help me to anticipate the (opponents and bring) knowledge of what it means going to Stoke City away or going to every stadium, so we started to go together (thanks to Moyes).
“His (Arteta) impact on me was so important to make me a better manager.”
So there you have it Arsenal fans, you have West Ham boss Moyes to thank for your unbelievable return to prominence under Arteta.
MORE WEST HAM NEWS
Rice off the menu as Arsenal make huge bid for West Ham’s heir apparent.
Huge twist in West Ham and Leeds battle for World Cup star as bargain deal agreed.
Big claim about West Ham decision on striker and next 24 hours are crucial.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
