ItsInTheNet
Well-Known Member
Mikel Arteta has opened up on his love for Rangers and Glasgow insisting he urges players to move to Ibrox if they have the chance.
The Spaniard is currently flying high as manager of Arsenal with the Gunners sitting top of the Premier League with just ten games to go.
But despite being fully concentrated on his London outfit, Arteta took some time to reflect on his time in Scotland as he revealed his transfer advice for those with an opportunity to join the Light Blues.
He told the Rangers Museum: “I thought Rangers would suit me so I made the decision to move.
“Everybody was very helpful at the club. I was young and knew it was a big move for me, I wanted to control the circumstances as much as possible.
In my opinion, the best way to do that was to feel settled and feel at home so my family came with me and gave me that security.
“They helped me in the process to adapt to a new culture and language and to play in a different league.
“I loved Glasgow, I always recommend it to people to move there if they have the chance. They will be surprised. It’s hard to find people as passionate as loyal and as open as the people in Scotland and Glasgow in particular.
“I always felt very welcome and I had the support behind me. I had a great time there. We went to New York that pre-season and it helped me as you spend a lot of time together and I got to know the players.
“I was very lucky as I had players that treated me almost like a father and son. I’m talking about players Ronald de Boer, Lorenzo Amoruso and Claudio Caniggia – I had a lot of help and they welcomed me into the group. From Day 1 I felt like I made the right choice."
On the intensity of the Old Firm derby, Arteta added: "I was shocked in my first Old Firm derby but I managed to score. The intensity, the passion and the atmosphere in the stadium was superb. I always say I have never played in derbies like this.
“The 3-3 game was a great atmosphere, lots of aggression, commitment and passion from the players. There are a lot of things that make the game special.
“We lost in Europe early on that season and that was disappointing but we concentrated on the other games and won the Treble. We had a big rival in Celtic and they had a good team who had played together for many years.
“But we won the first trophy by beating them in the League Cup and that sent a message that we wanted to win absolutely everything. That win gave us confidence and a boost for the rest of the season.
“It was special game at Hampden and a great experience for me. I was young and I knew that experience would serve me well. It was the first trophy of the year and we won it. The fans were happy and it was a special game for them as well.
“Some people were saying, ‘Why are you going to Scotland?’ but I am so proud I played there and so proud of what I learned there.
I had great moments and met some really nice people. I learned from big players and lived in a culture that for me was unbelievable.”
The Spaniard is currently flying high as manager of Arsenal with the Gunners sitting top of the Premier League with just ten games to go.
But despite being fully concentrated on his London outfit, Arteta took some time to reflect on his time in Scotland as he revealed his transfer advice for those with an opportunity to join the Light Blues.
He told the Rangers Museum: “I thought Rangers would suit me so I made the decision to move.
“Everybody was very helpful at the club. I was young and knew it was a big move for me, I wanted to control the circumstances as much as possible.
In my opinion, the best way to do that was to feel settled and feel at home so my family came with me and gave me that security.
“They helped me in the process to adapt to a new culture and language and to play in a different league.
“I loved Glasgow, I always recommend it to people to move there if they have the chance. They will be surprised. It’s hard to find people as passionate as loyal and as open as the people in Scotland and Glasgow in particular.
“I always felt very welcome and I had the support behind me. I had a great time there. We went to New York that pre-season and it helped me as you spend a lot of time together and I got to know the players.
“I was very lucky as I had players that treated me almost like a father and son. I’m talking about players Ronald de Boer, Lorenzo Amoruso and Claudio Caniggia – I had a lot of help and they welcomed me into the group. From Day 1 I felt like I made the right choice."
On the intensity of the Old Firm derby, Arteta added: "I was shocked in my first Old Firm derby but I managed to score. The intensity, the passion and the atmosphere in the stadium was superb. I always say I have never played in derbies like this.
“The 3-3 game was a great atmosphere, lots of aggression, commitment and passion from the players. There are a lot of things that make the game special.
“We lost in Europe early on that season and that was disappointing but we concentrated on the other games and won the Treble. We had a big rival in Celtic and they had a good team who had played together for many years.
“But we won the first trophy by beating them in the League Cup and that sent a message that we wanted to win absolutely everything. That win gave us confidence and a boost for the rest of the season.
“It was special game at Hampden and a great experience for me. I was young and I knew that experience would serve me well. It was the first trophy of the year and we won it. The fans were happy and it was a special game for them as well.
“Some people were saying, ‘Why are you going to Scotland?’ but I am so proud I played there and so proud of what I learned there.
I had great moments and met some really nice people. I learned from big players and lived in a culture that for me was unbelievable.”
