PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG has stunned Graham Potter – by turning up on time for training every day.
And with a passion for fancy motors is a quiet and humble guy in reality.
Maverick Arsenal tomorrow having been offloaded in January for misdemeanours which included poor timekeeping.
But Potter said: “You can’t be late driving those cars, can you?
“Everybody is different. Just because you drive a fast car doesn’t necessarily tell you too much about your personality or character. You might just like cars.
“It’s not something that has ever bothered me to be honest. Everybody is different.
“But I can only speak as I find him and he’s been really good. Whatever the preconceived idea of him was, it wasn’t that.
“He’s a quiet guy, so maybe the outside thinks he’s this loud, flashy person but he’s not.
“We found him really quiet, really humble, a nice person who wants to support the team, has been really respectful all the time.
“His taste is a bit different to mine and his taste in clothing is a little different to mine, but I’d like to think we’ve got some similarities as well. He’s got kids, he’s a family man.
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“He wants to enjoy his football, he wants to be happy, he wants to be supported, he wants to be part of the team. I found him really nice to work with.â€
Former Arsenal captain Aubameyang, 33, is back in the Premier League via Barcelona and has scored only one league goal this season.
Potter is still getting to grips with the players and his project to get Chelsea around to his way of thinking.
He is ready to look stupid in the process and reckons Arsenal are a cracking example of the patient approach.
Potter said: “You have to remember when you are trying to do something new, there will be a chance it goes wrong. You always have to be prepared for that.
“That sounds a bit strange because you should come across as this all knowing person with all the answers but the reality of making progress and the reality of doing something different and new is you have to prepare to be an idiot.
“What I like is that Arsenal identified Mikel and supported him through difficult times.
“There have been times when he has been under pressure, certainly from the outside.
“Take the rivalry of Arsenal and Chelsea away and that is quite a good thing from a coach’s perspective to see a club support and back him and come through and they are getting the rewards now.
“A combination of good work from him, from the staff and recruitment and support. It sounds straightforward but it isn’t.â€
