Every word Mikel Arteta said on Declan Rice’s fitness, Lionel Messi transfer and MLS All-Stars
You’re in a group chat with some other US coaches. Do you take any principles from American sport into your coaching at Arsenal?
Yeah sure. It’s great to be connected with coaches that have various experiences with other sports, in other leagues, in other countries. We have a group where we chat about many different topics. For me it’s really rich to understand other sports, other cultures and other ways of living. It’s been a big learning process for me.
How much are you looking forward to playing in the MLS All Stars game?
Yeah tomorrow’s experience is going to be great. It starts tonight obviously with all the challenges that the players have to do against each other. It’s going to be a very special, but unpredictable game because we’re going to change a lot of players. It’s great to be a part of and I hope we can give something back to the fans to share.
How do you see the MLS and what do you expect it to be going forward?
The history and the way the league has developed in the last 25 years is phenomenal. Over the past few years the traction it has got in Europe and obviously now it will be taken much further by getting top talent and the greatest footballer ever in this planet. It’s going to put this league in the spotlight and I think it was a very clever move and something really, really good. Not only for the league but for everyone connected to it.
READ MORE: Martin Odegaard on helping Declan Rice settle, beating Man City and increased Arsenal pressure
What kind of situations can you take advantage of in this game given that it’s just your second preseason game and the MLS players in the middle of their season?
Hopefully the rhythm won’t be different and our rhythm will be better than their’s. We always want to play are way and be dominant. That’s the attitude that we have. It’s very early in preseason, we know that. The teams that we play in the next few days are very different. Tomorrow is going to be a challenge. The heat will play a part as well, but we have to get used to it to win and play the way we want to play under any circumstances. It’s a great test for us.
Wayne Rooney said he doesn’t think an All Star game would work in England. Do you agree?
For me as an Arsenal coach to play against the MLS All-Stars is great. If you asked me the other way around, with where it is in the middle of the season probably I wouldn’t be that happy to let our players go. But I think it’s great for the players to gather the most talented players into one team. If I was a player for sure I’d want to experience that so I think why not in the future if it can be done.
Just to clarify on Declan, is he OK because he was on the bikes yesterday?
We just wanted to manage him. A lot has happened in the last five, six days to him and he’s had a very hectic schedule. He had a few training sessions that were really good, but prior to that he didn’t do much. We just wanted to manage him. He trained with us, he trained today and yeah, he’s fine.
