MIKEL ARTETA admits he has been bringing an OLIVE TREE to team meetings.
And the Arsenal boss also claims that Win, the club’s resident chocolate Labrador, is NOT actually a dog after all.
GettyMikel Arteta used an olive tree at team meetings to boost Arsenal’s morale[/caption]
Gunners favourite Arteta is known for his colourful mind games and mentally motivating challenges behind the scenes.
The Spaniard was caught on camera firing his players up during Arsenal’s All or Nothing documentary using a variety of inventive methods.
Arteta showed disparaging tweets to boost morale against Brentford last summer.
And he even used Game of Thrones references to help the Gunners climb the table.
As Arsenal chased the title earlier this year, Arteta and his stars posed with a clock in the dressing room before eventually blowing their lead over Manchester City.
But the tactician has now revealed another secret behind the Gunners’ incredible season.
Arteta took an olive tree along to team meetings, symbolising the need for daily care of the squad’s “roots” – as well as core stability.
He explained: “Another symbol at the club is our tree. It needs a lot of care as well. It’s an olive tree.
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“It’s older than 150 years, similar to the club, and we have to look after those roots every single day, make sure they don’t get poisoned, don’t get damaged and it’s in the right condition.”
Arteta has also brought a dog into the club, with 1-year-old Win proving to be a smash hit at Arsenal’s London Colney base.
However, Arteta does not see Win as a pooch, but as another member of the Gooner family.
According to ESPN, Win wears a tag which reads: “I’m not a dog, I’m a Gooner. Come on the Arsenal.”
Reflecting on Win’s impact, Arteta added: “We talk about family and being connected. We need a dog to represent that family.
“I carefully chose the dog and in my opinion it’s the perfect representative of who we are right now.
“Her name is Win, we all love winning and Win needs a lot of love. So the love for Win, that was basically the feeling.
“The reaction from the players and the staff has been incredible, she is one of us. She is going to be on this journey with us together.
“She gives you all the love and suddenly you feel the energy of the place. It’s just beautiful and to me those things are very important.
“Win needs accountability from us because we have to look after her as well, her emotions and what she needs.”