Arsene Wenger.
The man on every football lover’s lips? Debatable. The man on every Arsenal lover’s lips? Unsure. The man receiving undeserved criticism? Without doubt.
Wenger, alongside Sir Alex Ferguson, has revolutionised the way we see, play and even analyse the game. Although not seen in the flesh is undoubtedly one of the most wild and fiery passions you’ll ever see. He hates to see Arsenal lose, or even draw and usually blames himself, selflessly in that case.
He is the man to blame, for the transition of ‘love for football’ to ‘desire for football’, seen through the eyes of many in the world of sport. He brings an ethical and philosophical touch to the game and is a keen admirer himself. It sometimes, for him, is a psychological mind game.
“If you do not believe you can do it then you have no chance at all.”
“I believe the target of anything in life should be to do it so well that it becomes an art.”
Wenger has many honors to his name- three Premier league titles, five FA Cup’s and five not-so-prestigious Community Shields. Obviously, Arsenal face Aston Villa in the 2015 FA Cup final which could make him the most successful manager in FA Cup history, surpassing Sir Alex who he is currently level with on five.
He also has many individual awards such as being named three time Premier League Manager of the Season and several French Manager of the Seasons, without any recent triumph.
Wenger has nurtured the players that he believes in from the elder generations at the start of his managerial career, to the modern day generation. Fabregas is a prime example of this and his current football mindset emulates exactly what Arsene taught him to this day.
Now, the Cesc subject is still a little sour to me and most of the Arsenal fans who appreciated him as an player and captain at our club. Whether we like it or not, Cesc brought us through that transition from the Invincibles to now, which had the potential of a negative spiral of decline. At just 15 he was released in to the first team squad, watching the likes of Patric k Vieira, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp from the sidelines; a young player’s dream when hoping to turn from a prodigy into a superstar.
Which brings me on to the touchy and controversial subject on when Wenger should leave, and who will replace him. Never have I said I want him sacked or for him to quit and move on. I think getting rid of him will be a mistake and also mean that another club can use him and grow successfully, without doubt. I strongly agree that he should respectfully retire when he feels he cannot add anything else to the club, and at that point, he will know.
Similar to Ferguson, I’d love for him to win the league once or twice more and then retire and move to the executive ranks, but realistically Arsenal are not at that stage, and I’m starting to lose belief that all we need is ‘a few more world class signings’. They said that before Mesut Özil and Alexis Sanchez, yet the same desire remains.
Replacement: Pep Guardiola? Jurgen Klopp? Roberto Martinez? Steve Bould? Thierry Henry?
Guardiola is too optimistic an addition, not out of our range but realistically, we’re not in a position to attract a manager of his calibre at the moment.
Klopp knows our philosophy and will add even further to it, that would be huge to have at the club.
I think Martinez isn’t much of a replacement to Wenger, I’d rather keep the Frenchman in his ageing years.
Bould would be good. Bould is Arsenal through and through, but does he have the personality or knack to be a top level manager? I’m not convinced.
Henry is ideal but not yet. He, like Bould and perhaps Klopp knows the philosophies of the club. He also loves the club and every single Arsenal fan know, loves and idolises him. The only factor with Henry is the ‘Alan Shearer’, the potential of joining a club you’re a legend at from your playing days and not doing well as the boss.
Notice I have made ‘replacement‘ bold throughout, the question lies… can we replace Wenger, or just fill the gap?
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