Martin Odegaard responds to Arsenal legend who told Mikel Arteta that he should not be the captain

Arsenal legend Tony Adams made headlines this week by telling Gunners -Manager Mikel Arteta to strip Martin Odegaard by the captain and give the bracelet to Declan Rice

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Martin Odegaard has strongly defended his role as Arsenal captain after knitting criticism from Tony Adams. Club legend Adams aimed at Odegaard, 26, by claiming that Gunners will not win the Premier League title as long as he is the captain.

The former Arsenal skipper urged Mikel Arteta to give the bracelet to teammate Declan Rice, which indicates that the change would allow Odegaard to play with more freedom. But Adams will not get their way after the squad overwhelmingly voted for Norwegian to remain as captain for the 2025-26 season.

Now Odegaard has responded to Adams in an interview before Sunday’s curtain boosters away to Manchester United. When asked about his leadership style, the midfielder explained to Sky Sports: “It’s a lot to be fair. It’s very small things. It’s hard to describe it, it’s more like a constant role you do.

“There are always these little things you have to do. In general, that’s exactly how I see it is to get the best out of the team and how to give the team the right way of thinking. Help the players around you, get the best way of thinking in everyone.

“I think before the game just on the pitch I do a little (Team Talk) and inside the dressing room we have different people who talk. It is not just me, there are many people who share the responsibility and the boss also does a lot. It’s a shared thing. It’s not just me all the time.”

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Adams admitted during an event for Irish Independent that Odegaard was not his “type” of captain. “The conversation is to make Declan Rice the captain,” the ex-Gunners defender began on a foundation for Arteta.

“I think Declan is my type of captain, and it can release ODEGAARD to play with a little more freedom. At any time as a manager, you must put someone who reflects you, who reflects the football club that you think can actually take you to the next level.

“He (Arteta) has been given an opportunity this year to actually turn into a winner. To win league titles you have to be a (Jurgen) Klopp, you have to be a (Sir Alex) Ferguson. You have to lead by example, you have to be a winner, you have to go to your company. And it reflects your captain.

Do you agree with Tony Adams? Let your say in the comment section.

“And I see Declan Rice as captain but I say to Arteta: Come on, got up now. It’s your time to be a winning manager and a fantastic manager, because you won’t win the league with ODEGAARD as the captain.”

However, Arteta believes that it is not a “question” that Odegaard should be captain. “Well, my opinion is clear and it’s not just my opinion, it’s all staff and especially the players.” The Gunners manager explained.

“I asked them to vote the captain and I got the result yesterday. And with a mile, with a large, big 100 mile, everyone chose the same person, who is Martin Odegaard, and which is the most clear sign you can have.

“That’s how they feel about who must be their captain to defend, improve and win the matches we want to win. So I think there is no matter about it.”

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