Ronald De Boer and Mikel Arteta had played together for a few seasons for Rangers. De Boer feels that Arteta was always capable of coaching, even in the early days when he saw Arteta as a player.
“Mikel had an old head on young shoulders,” de Boer said in The Sunday Post. ” I think he was just coming up for 20 at that time, but he played with the maturity and tactical discipline of a 30-year-old.
“You can never be certain, but I did get a feeling – even back then when he was so young – that he had a desire to get into coaching. That has turned out to be the case.”
“It is a risk for him. This is a little bit dangerous,” de Boer continued. “All credit to him, though, for going for it. I have a lot of time for Mikel as a person. He has integrity and honour.
“I believe he can be very successful at Arsenal, and get them back as a regular top-four force in England. But he will need to be given the proper time. It might take four or five transfer windows to get it to the level he wants.”
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