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Mikel Arteta believes Basque food is the secret behind the success of a string of managers from the region.<\/p>\n
The Arsenal manager is one of a number of coaches born in the area of northern Spain to make a name for himself on the touchline.<\/p>\n
He will come up against another on Saturday in the shape of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, a former childhood team-mate of Arteta.<\/p>\n
Aston Villa\u2019s Unai Emery was also born in the Basque Country \u2013 as were Bayer Leverkusen\u2019s Xabi Alonso and former Wolves, Spain and Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui.<\/p>\n
Now Arteta has discussed why he feels such a small area is responsible for creating such success.<\/p>\n
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\u201cThe food! We have the best food in the world. The best restaurants by square metre, the most beautiful city,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has to be linked to that \u2014 what we eat, the way we live. The quality of life in our city is incredible. I think it is related to our roots. The education, the passion about the game. You breathe it within the city. You breathe it everywhere you go.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe played on the beach. You go there on a Saturday or Sunday and there are 300 kids playing on the beach.<\/p>\n
We have the best food in the world. The best restaurants by square metre, the most beautiful city<\/p>\n
\u201cYou sense that in the city. It is not just about now, because in the past they always produced coaches and good players. Somebody is doing the right thing.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I said the food I was not joking. It is the way they look after the city. The education, the people.<\/p>\n
\u201cFinding the quality and I am really really proud that I see a lot of people \u2014 not only in sport, in other industries as well \u2014 that manage to get out and promote our city in the right way.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it\u2019s the education that we get. It\u2019s the level of coaching that we get, they really take care of the academy.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou have seen Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao, Eibar all those teams do great work to raise talent and it\u2019s not a coincidence that a lot of players have come through there.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Arteta and Iraola go way back, the Arsenal boss insists there will be no room for niceties come 3pm on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery easy. You are in winning mode,\u201d he replied when asked how easy it will be to put aside their friendship at the Vitality Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet the best for your team and get in the battle. Before and after is a different story, especially after, but during there is nothing there.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHe was really excited to come. He was really complimentary about the club and the support he was getting with players and staff. He was happy to be part of the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know each other really well. We played together, we had fantastic times together. We played together in Antiguoko, which is a team in San Sebastian \u2013 that\u2019s the beauty of football that 30 years later we are here together in the Premier League as managers. I\u2019m really happy for that.\u201d<\/p>\n