Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta names fictional coach Ted Lasso as unlikely inspiration
Mikel Arteta previews Burnley clash
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Under-fire Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has named fictional football coach Ted Lasso as one of his inspirations. Lasso is the subject of the eponymous Apple TV series that follows his reign as manager of fictional Premier League team AFC Richmond.
The character is played by Jason Sudeikis and was originally an American Football coach before being hired to coach in England.
Lasso is widely mocked on his arrival at Richmond for his lack of football knowledge, before going on to earn the respect of his players.
His managerial style is more focused on man-management than tactical work, with Lasso being exceedingly positive in every situation.
The show has gained a cult following since its release in 2020, with two series having been shown already and a third commissioned.
A positive attitude has certainly been needed by Arteta in recent weeks as Arsenal’s season began in disastrous fashion.
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They were left bottom of the Premier League after the opening three rounds, having failed to score a single goal.
The Gunners fell to an opening day defeat to newly-promoted Brentford, before being dominated by Chelsea and hammered by Manchester City.
That left many openly questioning Arteta’s future as Arsenal boss, with the club having spent more than £130million in the summer transfer market.
But Arteta has now revealed that he turned to an unlikely source of inspiration during those dark moments early in the campaign.
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“The last one I watched, and I’m now watching the new episodes, is Ted Lasso. It’s been great,” the Arsenal boss said.
“It’s been great in tough, difficult moments. He’s always smiling and always believing and it gives you a different perspective that there is not one way of looking at things.
“There are positives and negatives and there are people that manage in a really successful way to do it differently.
“Thanks Ted, you’ve been brilliant.”
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Arteta finally got his side’s campaign underway with a 1-0 victory over also-winless Norwich City last week.
But that has done nothing to ease the concerns surrounding his suitability to the Arsenal job, having only been able to guide the Gunners to an eighth-place finish last season.
The pressure remains firmly on Arteta heading into the next two games, which will see his side play Burnley and Tottenham.
They travel to Turf Moor to take on the Clarets today and Arteta will need more of Lasso’s positive mentality if they fail to pick up any points.
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