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For all his coaching credentials and winner’s medals, Albert Stuivenberg is perhaps most widely known by Arsenal fans for his love of AirPods.
Stood alongside Mikel Arteta in the technical area, Stuivenberg often looks cool, calm and collected as he receives information from analysts through his beloved earphones.
It has become a unique enough look to earn him the nickname ‘AirPod Albert’ among supporters.
And it is down to Mr Technology himself to take the reins against league leaders Manchester City on New Year’s Day with Arteta forced into isolation following a positive Covid test this week.
Arsenal will be lead by Albert Stuivenberg (left) with boss Mikel Arteta (right) in Covid isolation
Stuivenberg (middle) has become a key aide to Arteta and is a driving force with the tactics
Arteta and Stuivenberg struck up a rapport when studying for their UEFA A coaching licenses in Cardiff with the Football Association of Wales.
It is a pathway favoured by many – Yaya Toure is among the course’s latest recruits – and Stuivenberg was one of Arteta’s first hires after being appointed as Unai Emery’s successor at Arsenal in 2019.
But Stuivenberg’s credentials as a coach go back much further to his native Holland after a cruciate ligament injury ended his playing career in 1989, putting wheels in motion for a key role to come on the other side of the white lines.
Feyenoord, who brought Stuivenberg through before he left for HFC Haarlem, found themselves keen to use his footballing acumen and he remained at the club for 13 years as an academy coach.
The progressive, forward-thinking coach was later heralded for the work he achieved in the youth set-up, where he played a key role in bringing through talents such as former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie.
In 2001 he was Feyenoord’s head of youth and in that same year his experience developed as assistant coach to the club’s Belgian feeder side Racing White Daring Molenbeek….
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Source : dailymail
