Arsenal's Arteta to become a manager?

Whilst the Spaniard claims he has no plans to retire any time soon, the 30-year-old has suggested management is something he has considered.

The player has become a captain for the Gunners in all but the armband which now belongs to Thomas Vermaelen, but it is the Arteta who has taken the credit for his ability to guide and encourage the club's younger players.

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

"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."

Should Arteta go into management he would have ideal role models in current boss Arsene Wenger and in former coach, Everton's David Moyes. Both are excellent examples of coaches who have been at their clubs for years and have built their teams from the ground up with their own unique philosophies and structures.

But the player understands the pressures that go with the territory - he also hinted at the practical difficulties of managing a squad filled with international players - something that he no doubt has seen first hand in the Arsenal dressing room.

He continued,

"To manage a group of players nowadays with ten or fifteen different countries involved with different personalities is a difficult thing to do."

Perhaps that's the reason why so many managers favour the purchase of players front their home nation. Wenger has often brought in players from France, whilst Rafael Benitez always preferred Spaniards, and Sir Alex Ferguson usually snaps up the best in British talent.

One thing's for sure, though - Arteta is in fine form and condition and currently has no plans to retire. He has been singled out as one of the Premier League's most influential players of the season so far and shows no signs of slowing down.

image: © wonker