Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin has heaped praise upon assistant manager Steve Bould for teaching him how to defend.
The La Masia graduate moved to north London in 2012 as a right-winger but was soon moved further back on the right-hand side and although Bellerin had no idea how to defend, he claims Arsenal legend Bould showed him the ropes.
When I first came to Arsenal, I didn’t know how to defend.
If there was a person who I had to identify as helping me a lot, that would have to be Bould. I was a winger but from the Under-18s up, I remember him just showing me the basics.
Even then, I remember him sometimes holding his head like, ‘What is Hector doing?’ He’s been one of the key people in my career. He’s one of the reasons I’m here now.
Steve was a top defender himself and has so much knowledge. Sometimes when he’s speaking, I just laugh because he makes it look so easy and so obvious, and you haven’t realised before. I really enjoy learning with him.
Bould is recognised as one of the greatest defenders in the club’s long history, being a part of a formidable back line which included Lee Dixon, club captain Tony Adams and Nigel Winterburn. Wenger’s assistant manager won a number of titles during his 11-year stay at Highbury, including the First Division and Premier League on three separate occasions, two FA Cups and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
It is believed that the ex-England international is a key component in what has been an improved Gunners defence over the last 18 months, with the squad previously not having a dedicated defensive coach.
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