Le Professeur, a man who brought his
teachings from the continent to the English game and injected a little
extra into The Premier League may be staring down the barrel of of a gun
fashioned from his own success. Le Profeseur being Arsene Wenger, the
Frenchman whose long body and wide smile has been on the British shores
for almost two decades now, and perhaps his time is coming to an end.
1158 games and counting for Wenger in his
Arsenal tenure, and 877 of those won, making a win percentage of 54%. Not
too shabby, quite the legacy, but is winning one of every two games
enough to keep this man going ? He's past his retirement age and has
given over a quarter of his life to a London club, who before his
arrival from quite the obscure Japanese league, were a team known for
their lack of creativity and weren't going any where fast.
I'm in the boat that it's in some people's
best interest for Mr Wenger to leave, one of those being Wenger himself,
just to ensure his legacy isn't tarnished with a drop off from past
success amid recent protests. But I don't think it's in Arsenal's best
interests to let him go. People talk of him being too soft and the
players not showing up for the big games,and from the outside looking in that I
can agree on but I feel, if you send in a manager who will berate and
strike the fear of God into these players for any mistake would be detrimental to these men, and in time on results too. The time scale to
dismantle this team, this Arsene Wenger team, this Arsene Wenger club
would perhaps span more than the time they last won the league, it's not
an easy feat. Many few coaches fit Wenger's mantra and philosophy, and
after such a long time of living by the Frenchman's ways I can't see any aspect
of the club breaking this mould and flourishing.
His own teachings have became his downfall,
the fitness side of the game brought to England by Wenger was impressive. It was a
new concept from the continent that in time revolutionized the Premier
League. But he was ahead of his time, he was mentally sat in the 21st
century, but when the years began to pass he wasn't willing, not that he
wasn't able, but willing to continue to evolve, adapt and change a
winning formula that produced two league titles in his first decade at
the club. His stubbornness became his downfall, his advanced thinking in
terms of more than just the football because of other
coaches, teams and players using his methods to great effect and
enhancing them; and in time Arsenal slipped away from title contenders
to consistently padding out the top four.
So if Wenger is to go it would only benefit
him, I have no doubt he would have the pick of the jobs to walk into,
what club doesn't want stability and continuity ? Obviously there comes a
time when more ambition is needed but he is not lacking ambition in his
team or projects. He's became a victim of his own philosophies and
success, prior to his arrival the Premier League was the Manchester
United's league and was in danger of becoming no more exciting than the
modern day Scottish league with the inevitability of a Celtic title ever
since the fall of Rangers. Wenger came and challenged Fergie with a
squad who hadn't challenge for Europe in years and reached the dizzying
height of 5th the season before his arrival, since then Arsenal have not
finished outside the top 4 in the league under Arsene Wenger,
all the while spending little and producing top young players. Only in the last 6
years since a number of teams have been injected with money has Mr
Wenger taken up the option of spending some substantial money at
Arsenal, and with some recent signings showing he's not the strongest in
buying a first team player that will improve the squad, he's a manger
that wants to produce talent not acquire it. To lose this from
Arsenal would meaning losing their own modern identity.
It beggars belief that managers such as Klopp
and Pochettino are applauded and held in such high regard when in reality Wenger is above the lovable German in the table and is on equal points with
the Argentine and at no point are there any protests against either
when they are at the same level of Wenger.
I think Wenger will stay, his love and
loyalty to the club is stronger than the hatred and moaning from fans
expecting too much from a football club, that only since the man they
want rid of took over, became a global symbol of football. Arsenal were a
team to me when growing up played football how the purest of minds
would imagine the game was played. They were the pinnacle of tactics and
fluidity within the game and to try and oust that man out of his
position, his seat, moulded to him is a dangerous road to meander down.
It's a warning, be careful what you wish
for Arsenal fans, this team is made for Wenger's ways and nyone who does
come in would be facing a uphill task, a one that could see the clubs
continuity in achieving a European place put to the test.
I can see two winners from the departure of Arsene Wenger.
Arsene Wenger and every team below Arsenal, because a European space will be there in their sights and suddenly become more attainable.
Au Revoir may be too early and too costly.
Coxon.
