Acclaimed actor Brian Cox has praised Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s current squad, describing the Spaniard as a “great manager” and backing the club to achieve even more success in the years ahead.
The Succession star discussed his love of football in an extensive interview and reserved some particularly warm words for Arsenal despite being a lifelong Manchester United supporter.
Cox revealed that Arsenal have become a regular topic of conversation within his family, with his son and several close friends all supporting the North London club.
The 80-year-old even rearranged his birthday celebrations in London to avoid a clash with Arsenal’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.
Having watched the Gunners closely in recent seasons, Cox believes Arteta has built a team capable of competing at the very highest level.
“I see it now with Arsenal,” Cox said. “It’s not been easy for them. They’ve had a rough time of it because they went very far very quickly.”
The Scottish actor believes the progress made under Arteta is only the beginning.
“They can go further because Mikel Arteta is a great manager and it’s a pretty amazing team in many ways,” he added.
Cox has attended matches at the Emirates Stadium and singled out club captain Martin Odegaard for special praise.
He described the Norwegian playmaker as “a wonderful player” and also highlighted teenage sensation Max Dowman following his breakthrough campaign.
The youngster’s memorable goal against Everton particularly caught Cox’s attention.
Recalling the strike, he said: “The goalkeeper was running back like mad. Amazing.”
“That to me is one of the great goals ever.”
“The thing about football we tend to forget is the notion of the opportunistic element of it.”
Cox admitted that while the finish may not have been the most technically spectacular goal, the circumstances surrounding it made it special.
“Even though technically it wasn’t a great goal, it was a great goal for the moment and the team,” he said.
His admiration for Arsenal’s current side comes after a historic season in which Arteta guided the club to their first Premier League title in 22 years.
The Gunners also reached the Champions League final before narrowly losing to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Budapest.
While Cox remains emotionally attached to Manchester United because of the impact the Busby Babes had on him as a child, he made it clear that he has developed a strong appreciation for what Arteta is building in North London.
For Arsenal supporters, his comments are another indication of the growing respect the club have earned across the football world under Arteta’s leadership.
With a Premier League title already secured and ambitions remaining high, Cox believes Arsenal’s journey is far from finished.