Mikel Arteta, the manager of Arsenal, referred to Mauricio Pochettino as a “big brother” and said he was already improving things at Chelsea.
Both players joined Paris St. Germain in 2001, and they spent a year playing together. They forged a connection that has lasted to the present.
They later went on to become successful coaches, but this will be their first encounter as rival managers when they meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
While they may have joined PSG at the same time, Pochettino, 51, is 10 years older than Arteta, and the Arsenal manager gives the Argentinean the credit for taking him under his wing.
“First of all, it was my first professional opportunity in Paris and we arrived at the same time and lived together in a hotel for three months,” Arteta stated.
He was vital and one of the most important figures in my professional life. He was a major factor in my career in Paris as a footballer because he took me by the arm and cared for me like a younger brother or sister.
“It was because of him because he really looked out for me, gave me a lot of confidence, and gave me a lot of advice,” the speaker said.
“He has been a role model for me since that day, not only when I was a player but as a manager as well, when I had to make the decision to leave playing and start my coaching career he had a big say on that and I will always be grateful.”
Just a month after Pochettino was fired as head coach of Tottenham’s rival north London team, Arsenal, Arteta took over.
When Pochettino took over at Chelsea in May, he made his way back to the Premier League, and despite a rocky start, Arteta believes his former manager is beginning to make progress.
“Yes, you can see already that something has changed very quickly,” he said in response to the question of whether he believed Pochettino could handle the job.
“It’s a major game, and the two clubs have a long history. The games we’ve played with them in the past are all familiar to us, but this one is different. Chelsea has really pleased me.
“I believe that they deserve a lot more than what is currently on the table. It’s incredible what Mauricio has accomplished so quickly. We’ll need to exert our utmost effort.
The finest advise Pochettino had given after hanging up his boots was also shared by Arteta: “Don’t go into coaching – it’s too hard!”
That is the initial factor. He was already a leader as a player, so I knew he would become a coach and I watched him intently.
“He had a phenomenal understanding of the game. He used to be at my back and was always advising me. Very pleased with what he accomplished over his coaching career and how he went about doing it.