Yesterday morning, the footballing world received the best guarded secret of the season with Arsene Wenger announcing his decision to step down as Arsenal manager at the end of the season. The announcement was received with mixed feelings across the football world. For some, Arsene’s time was up a long time ago with the club’s steady decline in the last few years while others see the French man has the last longest serving manager in the game.
Wenger was initially interviewed for the Arsenal job in 1995 but the then club chairman Peter Hill-Wood preferred Bruce Rioch. A year later, he was appointed after Rioch was dismissed. Wenger’s arrival at Arsenal was greeted with perplexity by some of the club’s players, supporters and the local media. He was relatively unknown in English football. Tony Adams, the club captain then had this initial thought of his new manager: What does this Frenchman know about football? He wears glasses and looks more like a school teacher. He’s not going to be as good as Graham. Does he even speak English properly?
The school teacher made several important changes to the culture at Arsenal. His hands-on training approach was welcomed by the players, changed the drinking culture habit, encouraged eating pasta as pre-match dish, boiled chicken instead of red meat, etc. These changes brought quick result with the club finishing third at the end of the season narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification on goals difference. In his first full season (1997/98) in charge, the Gunners won the double. Wenger transformed the team bringing in younger and quicker players while easing out the old guard. His team played a quick passing attacking brand of football which was admired by supporters and opponents, something that was not quite common in English football at that time. Wenger won another double in the 2001/02 season and his greatest achievement with the club and in modern day football was guiding the Gunners to an invincible title triumphant in the 2003/04 season. In addition to the three league titles won, he led Arsenal to seven FA Cup triumphs. Arsene unlike his predecessor was given control over transfers and contracts at Arsenal. He signed 101 players during his time at the club for a combined fee of £829m and sold 70 players at £564m.
With steady progress on the pitch, Arsenal next project was to build a new stadium after Islington council deny the club permission to expand its Highbury home ground. Under the chairmanship of Herbert Chapman, Arsenal were given approval for their new stadium in Ashburton Grove. Financing the new project meant little or no investment in players (new acquisition or bigger wages), the club was forced into selling their best to rivals locally and on the continent with a new strategy of integrating young players (van Persie, Fabregas, Walcott, Song, etc) into the team and making them the fulcrum. Wenger believed in the stadium project and hailed the biggest decision in Arsenal’s history. He led the club to the newly constructed Emirates stadium with the belief of attracting the best players to Arsenal.
During the refinancing phase of Emirates stadium project, Wenger ensured Arsenal remained competitive. They qualified for the Champions League every season and played in two League Cup finals losing both to Chelsea (2007) and Birmingham City (2011). He attempted several rebuilding process with key players leaving year after year during a period the Premier League was experiencing influx of wealthy owners buying English clubs and investing heavily. Wenger believed in his philosophy and would not be pressured to go overboard with huge financial outlays on players.
Arsenal have won the FA Cup in three of the last four seasons but their Premier League performance and six consecutive round of 16 exits from the Champions League meant something was not right at their Colney training complex and the Emirates stadium.
Perhaps it was time for a change of guard but the Frenchman would not bow out easily though he gave in to making big money signings. Ozil, Sanchez, Mustafi, Lacazette, Aubameyang arrived at the club in recent times but performances and results in the league and Champions League were not any better. For the first time in two decades, the Gunners missed out on qualifying for the Champions League last season. The financial implication of missing out in the lucrative Champions League had consequences the FA Cup triumph couldn’t salvage. In this current campaign, the situation hasn’t got any better, fans started boycotting games to show their displeasure with attendance dropping at the Emirates (another revenue source). The club sits sixth on the table, 33 points off the top of the table and can only qualify for the Champions League by winning the Europa League. The club’s board seem convinced Arsene couldn’t take them any further even if he disagrees.
His contribution during his 22 year stint at the club cannot be overstated. According to CEO Ivan Gazidis, Wenger made Arsenal famous with the style of football he instilled, and inspired people he worked with through his “understanding and empathy”. He has enjoyed a great deal of support and backing from the club board of directors, who have demonstrated exceptional faith in the manager and his long-term vision.
He made friends and foes with rival managers. His battles with Sir Alex Ferguson were quite epic during their days before the arrival of Jose Mourinho. The former Manchester United manager praised his friend after yesterday’s announcement. He said “I am pleased that he has announced he is leaving at the stage of the season. He can now have the send-off that he deserves. He is one of the greatest Premier League managers and I am proud to have been a rival, colleague and friend to such a great man.”
Former players and current ones have complimented the man who singlehandedly transformed the North London club into what it is today. For Wenger and his team, the best send forth gift would be qualifying for the final and winning the Europa League in May.
Can they do it? Arsenal host Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Europa league semifinals on Thursday 26 April 2018.
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