Arsenal Football Club and supporters the world over are celebrating today the tenth anniversary of the arrival of Arsene Wenger as manager.
Arsene has revolutionized not just Arsenal, but all of English football.
Three Premiership titles, four FA Cups, two European cup final appearances. An unbeaten league season. Patrick Vieira. Freddie Ljungbgerg. Cesc Fabregas.
Thierry Henry.
Arsene has brought so much to Arsenal, but according to the man himself, there is still work to be done:
I know one thing. No matter when I stop, I will always feel I have not done enough whether it is with the Champions League or without the Champions League. Personally, I want it to be with the Champions League but I know I will always have that feeling - even if I had won it three seasons running.
Chairman David Dein has offered Arsene the job for life. When all is said and done, Arsene Wenger will stand with Sir Henry Norris and Herbert Chapman as the single most important men in the history of Arsenal Football Club.
“Arsene Wenger’s magic, he wears a magic hat…”
23 Responses to “Walking in a Wenger Wonderland”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:02 am
I am glad there is a positive artcile from this site today.
When I joined one of the main topics was the poor form of AW, people were after him to leave and saying he hadn’t been that great.
Looking back there is not one club that has got the better of him in the EPL over the last ten years.
He has introduced some amazing quality football at Arsenal.
He has brought some amazing players.
he has helped us move home into a breath taking stadium.
All of that and the trophies he has won, and I am sure there will be plenty more to come.
It is not that often that a manager stays for that long and he has been a true great in English football.
He has not complained about anything to do with his work, he has just got on and done his stuff.
The likes of Chelsea and Man U face tough times as long as AW is at the helm of Arsenal Football Club.
Here’s to another ten years or AW, trophies and success.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:05 am
And to get some TRUE insight into the man…
He has mentioned that when he DOES retire from coaching football… he wants to go to AFRICA to work with young people there teaching the game.
To me, that says volumes about Arsene Wenger… above any of his accomplishments… no players dislike him, not Ash, or anyone else you left the club… he always is a gentlemen, and treats people well.
He is not only a fantastic manager, but he’s a shaper of young men.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:08 am
While I have said and seen some things on the site questioning his moves/non-moves on and off the pitch…
I don’t think I have seen ANYONE say Wenger needs to go or Wenger out…
Every coach/manager has moves and motives questioned, but nobody can argue with his record or what he has done for the club. Its really that simple.
You can question anyones moves… but when the question is asked, who would you rather have here… there isn’t an answer.
He is THE BEST man for the Arsenal job.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:28 am
Well said.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:35 am
If you look back on the pieces that were linked to the trial of AW and his half year report, the teams performance was linked to his performance, and people were saying he may not be the man for us.
I NEVER agreed and wrote against all of these articles stating that you need to look at his record over a period of time.
Everyone outside of Arsenal has respect for AW as a man and what he has achieved.
The success we have had over the years is down to his, whilst he does not score the goals and keep clean sheets he sets the team up ready to do the best for each individual game.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:37 am
I agree and the comments of Fabregas saying he is only staying to repay AW for the faith he showed in Fabregas.
I am sure Toure feels the same as well.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
I always feel - in daily reality life, I would love to work for a boss like Wenger… Someone who doesn’t give you a hair-dryer treatment whenever you made a mistake, just tell you to not worrying making mistakes and free to express your ability on your work. A boss like that will surely bring the best out of the employees.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:08 pm
The greatest engineer to ever coach a football team!
One of the greatest coaches in the game - in principle a student of Rinus Michels attacking football.
As thrifty as a Dutchman - oh yes.
I salute you Arsene may your years remain productive and at Arsenal FC.
September 28th, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Arsene for life…Now I am having that…
September 28th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
Arsene who?
September 28th, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Thank you Arsene for a wonderful 10 years… Now for more!
September 28th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Anyone read Lee Dixon’s comment on BBC.com? Here is part of it:
“And Arsene had all the players into his office to go over their contracts (when AW first arrived at Arsenal). He couldn’t believe what Nigel Winterburn and me were on.
Traditionally full-backs were the worst-paid players in a football team - and we were no exception.
But Arsene looked at what we were getting paid and said “that’s not right” and we were given immediate wage rises.”
September 28th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
And even though he has had much sucess in the past, he is always looking towards the future. When he eventually leaves, he will not leave the club bereft of talent, but stacked with good young players pushing for starting places.
September 28th, 2006 at 3:13 pm
Wenger has been the best signing that Arsenal made a decade ago!!! I remember when I first heard he was coming to Highbury, I was happy… Because I had read about his work at Monaco and felt it would be a good move. But back in 1996, I didn’t think that Wenger coming to Arsenal would make then league champions that soon. I never expected what heights the team would eventually reach…Amazing stuff…
And the style the team has played. Wow!! Truly beautiful football. A complete turn around from the old style that existed in Arsenal prior to 96…
The players that Wenger brought in have been amazing, and he has taken players who were struggling to make them true stars. Players no one had heard of have become world names under him. Just amazing!
Now hopefully, he can help bring the Champions League trophy to Arsenal and help this new generation of players to become better and continue the good work of teams past.
September 28th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Words seem kinda inadequate to express my admiration of Arsene Wenger and what he has contributed to our club.
For in sport superlatives abound….everything is ‘fantastic’, ‘amazing’, ‘awesome’…and hey that’s cool….sport is there to be enjoyed.
But the fruit of Wengers work and the culture he has inspired through the manner of his conduct are rightly cherished not just by us, but by football lovers in general.
Like many of us I don’t want the journey to stop….so with that in mind I was so pleased to hear David Dein echoing my thoughts when he said:
“We want him for the rest of his career. If he wanted to give up the tracksuit he’d be invaluable in the boardroom in a technical role.”
Many successful managers aren’t suited to move upstairs….their strength and desire is to be left alone to manage the team….Wenger has always displayed a much broader capacity to think strategically, think football economics, to be persuasive and politically savvy. He is emminently suited to be a Technical Director with a TOR that gives him freedom to contribute for as long as he has passion. That TOR can be flexible and allow him time to pursue his alturistic endeavours like helping develop football in Africa.
Arsene your a gem.
September 28th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
Just read some interesting stats from BBC.com:
In 10 years, Arsene Wenger has spent an overall 160 mil GBP (less than Roman A. spent in his first year at Chelsea), that’s 16 mil GBP per season in average.
To top it all, the players AW sold earned us 115 mil in return, that means our NET SPENDING COST being 45 mil in 10 years!! (4.5 mil per season) With those money, we had won 3 Premiership, 4 FA Cup.
And in recent years, though we hadn’t beaten United on too many occassions. Yet the overall Arsene Vs Fergie encounter, Arsenal has won 12, Man Utd 11, and drawn 9.
September 28th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
I respect Arsene Wenger, a great and decent man.
His character truly sets the tone for the club, the players and the fans.
More than anyone, Arsene Wenger makes me proud to be an adopted but passionate Gooner.
And he knows how to make beautiful football……
Cheers, Mr. Wenger!
September 29th, 2006 at 8:58 am
I predict Wenger will move upstairs in 2-3 years time and Paul Le Guen will step in after gaining British experience with Rangers.
September 29th, 2006 at 1:14 pm
Anyone read Mido’s comment? He claimed Sol Campbell is the “easiest defender he ever faced”, ahead of the weekend’s clash with Portsmouth.
Spurs fans would love him for saying this. Yet I would like to think, when your team haven’t scored in over 433 minutes’ Premiership matches, it’s better to keep your mouth shut. Sol Campbell, llke him or hate him, is a warrior on the pitch, u fired him up like that there is a good chance he’s going to let you paid.
Typical Spurs arrogrance.
September 29th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
It was that kind of arrogance that got Mido run out of Ajax when he was there.
September 29th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Wenger is just a class act. Period. He’s the type of perosn that would’ve been highly successful in whatever endeavor he would’ve chosen to do in life.
Form is temporary, class is permanent. Wenger is class.
September 29th, 2006 at 4:42 pm
Can’t add anything to what has been said.
In my humble opinion he just shades Chapman for greatest ever Arsenal manager.
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:57 am
That 115 is an estimate, some players he has simply taken off the books to reduce costs as well.