Wenger needs to start training the next Arsenal manager – Mertesacker? Lehmann?

I’ve been thinking about what Arsenal will do when Wenger finally decides its time to go to the retirement home (or manage France!) and after listening to what Gilberto Silva said about the relationship between Le Prof and the club, I think he should train his replacement completely from scratch.

Gilberto told Sky Sports: “He’s always been strong, no matter what the situation is, he will always support the players and embrace them. He will always stay in front of them, protects them, especially when the pressure is there, that’s just his style.

“He was the same last season when the team were struggling; he behaves like a big father to everyone, and takes the responsibility.

“But behind the scenes for him it is important that the older players take a lot of responsibility and help the younger players. Now they have a new chance, a new season and a new outlook.

“Honestly, it was not a surprise for me that he stayed. He’s got the desire inside of him to carry on and win games. It’s special because he loves Arsenal too, it is very unique and personal to him.”

Gilberto, who played under Wenger during the Invincibles era, then talked about how Arsenal would try to get someone to fill his boots when he’s gone. The Brazilian continued: “When it happens it will be difficult for any coach coming to replace him. Because there is one kind of style and philosophy, everyone would have to adapt to a new manager.

“I hope that when the time comes for him to leave they start to prepare a new manager to replace that ability.”

Well I agree, and that should be taught by Wenger from the bottom up. Per Mertesacker is Wenger’s captain and has been his voice in the dressing room for some time and knows exactly how things work. The BFG has already announced that he will be coaching the academy players when he retires, then perhaps he could move up to the U23’s and carry on absorbing the Wenger way of management without any pre-conceived ideas from other clubs. The Boss obviously trusts him and maybe he is intending for the German to replace him?

Another one managing the academy this season will be Jens Lehmann, who was also an integral and vocal member of Wenger’s best team. If the BFG is going to replace him next summer, will Lehmann be the first to move up the ladder? He has already told us that this job is a stepping stone to management.

Do you think Wenger is training them to ultimately be his replacement? Or who else could do the job in ‘the Arsenal way’?

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15 Comments

  1. Alexis said he’s want champions league football and said it’s up to arsenal if he can leave or not! So I was thinking that Bayern must be the team he wants to go coz man city are a joke in the champions league lol so if it is Man City he wants to play a hand full of games for in the CL, then arsenal shouldn’t sanction his transfer coz its not a realistic reason when arsenal are going for the prem this year and are only out CL for the first time in 23 years and City ain’t exactly gonna give the CL football he’s looking for I mean it’s like saying “I wonna go to spurs to win the prem” I wonna slap him

  2. Mertsacker or Lehman???

    I like them both but, NO
    Not even Henry, Bergkamp or Adams
    Its a big risk. Not all Successful Football players become successful managers like Zidane
    I have no problem with any former Arsenal player becoming Arsenal Manager as long as they have had success as Manager of other clubs first

    The manager who replaces Wenger should not only have head managerial EXPERIENCE, they should have won TROPHIES, ideally national League Titles and/or Champions League Trophies (ie Ancelotti, Zidane, Simeone, Benitez, Alegri, Lowe, Moyes (just kidding))

  3. I think we are shot on midfielder who plays deep to front like Cazorla. I think we must offload Gabriel or monreal, Wilshire or el neny, Perez is going , Giroud or Walcott and ospina. We can bring in Kroos who is the perfect replacement for santi. I still feel we must go for a CM(Kroos), a CB (smalling if available) and a goalkeeper (Keller Navas).

  4. Wenger hasn’t changed. I don’t know why is he wants el neny to be CB. He is worst than his usual postition. It is a big risk for Wenger to trust an average player to become a CB. If he becomes it will be too late as he will take at least 5 yrs till then 5 titles lost?.

  5. I am not convinced if Wenger’s way works. Perhaps the players lack backbone and leadership because they have been too protected by Wenger and have never been forced to own bad results because Wenger makes excuses for them?

    It’s nice for them that they all feel like he is a father to them yet at the same time, it is a bit troubling. I would like the next manager to be the type of guy who forces them or inspires them to always play with passion for 90 minutes, who teaches them it is never acceptable to drop their head when things don’t go their way and to keep playing even if they are 3-0 down so as not to be slaughtered 8-0.

    The next manager as far as I am concerned should have a proven track record of winning and an evident desire to keep winning and still be in his prime. Not one who is merely happy to come and collect his monthly paycheck and talk about “values” is more important than winning.

    I respect Wenger for what he has done 13+ years ago when he won things and his methods were cutting edge but to me, it remains clear that at the moment we don’t want the other Wenger.

    There are enough managers out there with methodologies that work and that demand respect in their own right. Not every other manager is a Mourinho.

  6. Top-quality ex-players always sound promising as managers on the face of it, but are actually a big risk.

    Could end-up being a really good manager like Ronald Koeman, Luis Enrique, or Zinedine Zidane. Could end-up being a total disaster like Roy Keane, Tony Adams, or Gary Neville (So far).

    Being a good manager requires very different skills and ability to being a good player.

  7. Why isn’t it possible to get KROOS. If we spend we can as we already have germans in our team. I know its difficult but not impossible. I agree we have arsene who dont even think to bring in quality like kroos. May be he likes Lemar that is the reason everyone are accepting it.

  8. The Big & Crazy Forking German Dynamic Duo, with strings attached. The perfect yes men for Wenger when he steps down and becomes a backseat driver at the club.

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