Mikel Arteta has insisted on creating his own managerial identity despite learning a great deal in the three years he spent as Pep Guardiola's assistant manager at Manchester City.
The Spaniard joined Guardiola's coaching staff immediately after retiring as Arsenal captain in 2016. With three-and-a-half seasons of experience as a No.2. he decided to take the next step when he was appointed the Gunners head coach in December 2019.
Since his return to Emirates Stadium, Arteta has overseen improvements in performances even if results haven't picked up as quickly as desired. So far he has managed nine games, won three, drawn four and lost one.
The 37-year-old admitted that he does miss his old mentor, however, and that he had a real learning experience as his understudy.
"Absolutely (I miss Pep). I am a big friend of his and I admire him. I had a lot of joy working together and success. We spent a lot of time together and he is a friend," Arteta said.
"I have to apply my own things. He was part of my development as a person to go through a lot of things I experienced next to him.
"It was a privilege and of course a lot of the things I took on board, that I felt from my time at Barcelona, we shared together and a lot of things I learned from his management."
Arteta's move to Arsenal from City was done with great speed. Arsenal's chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and club lawyer Huss Fahmy were pictured leaving Spaniard's Manchester home in the early hours of the morning after City swept the Gunners aside 3-0 on December 15.
Within five days, it was announced that he had become Arsenal head coach on a deal lasting three-and-a-half years. Despite the pace of his move back down to London, Arteta admitted he is still on good terms with Guardiola.
"I always talk with him. He is a really good friend of mine. I respect him so much. We share a lot of things in our life and we discuss everything."
