So the day of judgement is nearly upon us, with Arsenal Wenger having had a private meeting with the Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke yesterday, and the full Board meeting scheduled for today. After our long period of uncertainty over Le Prof’s future, it would seem that the bookies and gamblers are now certain that Wenger will be renewing his contract and he is as short as 1/5 on to stay.
Although it is certain that Kroenke and the Board are more than happy for Wenger to carry on business as usual, the 67 year-old may still surprise everyone by turning down the offer. Even Ian Wright, who has often been critical of Wenger this season, has now said that the Board really have no choice but to keep him on for at least one more campaign to pinpoint a proper replacement, although he is not so sure that Wenger will accept. “I’ve got a nasty feeling Arsene Wenger will walk away from the Arsenal job today – and leave the club totally in the lurch,” Wright was quoted as saying.
“And you would have to say it would serve them right, because there has been absolutely no forward planning for the day when Wenger finally left the Emirates.
“The only way the board should have allowed him to run down his contract yet again is if they had private assurances from him that he was staying.
“Otherwise, it is total incompetence from the board to get to this stage.”
Surely a Board that is so prudent financially would not have let it go this far unless they had inside knowledge of the outcome? The bookies obviously think so!
So who is right?
Sam P