From the outside we see the players on the pitch or in front of cameras, how they move, and the result. The coach sees the players as people and the experienced managers, like Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, focus more on the human instead of the tactics.

Former set-piece coach Andreas Georgson details a “softening” in Mikel Arteta’s demeanor and way of thinking speaking to The Athletic:

I feel like he touches on more parts of the game. Of course, he’s still very deep into the tactical side, but he’s now also much more into the human, the emotional, the motivational side.

We speak a lot about him being a winner in terms of being firm and tough and a fighter. But for me, being a winner is also being able to be self-reflective, take help from others to develop yourself.

I think that’s a really undervalued strength of Mikel’s: that he’s constantly willing to question himself, listen to others, hear what he needs to improve, to become better. I’ve almost never heard anyone say that about him, but that is one of the traits that I think is very important for a world-class manager.

We forget the players are humans. They have lives outside of football, personalities, and emotions. A lot of top managers over time tend to comment about this shift to managing the people more than the tactics.

We “don’t care” in the sense that we are fans who want to see our team win, but we forget they get nervous. Being around someone who is calmer should help calm the nerves of the people, the players.