THE NEXT LEGEND IS REVEALED AND OF COURSE IT’S OUR GREATEST MANAGER EVER – THE ONE AND ONLY ARSENE CHARLES ERNEST WENGER OBE: by Ken1945
Arsene Wenger was awarded an honorary OBE for his contribution to British football, with discussions having been held to award him the honour of a knighthood, meaning he would have had the rank of Knight Commander (KBE) as he is a foreign national.
So, let’s take a look at his Arsenal record. I have included his Community Shield wins, because without his league and cup wins, his teams wouldn’t have had the opportunity to compete in them – ignore them if you wish!!!
Premier League Winner:
1997/98 – 2001/02 – 2003/04
FA Cup Winner:
1997/98 – 2001/02 – 2002/03 – 2004/05 – 2013/14 – 2014/15 – 2016/17
FA Community Shield Winner:
1998 – 1999 – 2002 – 2004 – 2014 – 2015 – 2017
Personal Honours at Arsenal:
Premier League Manager of The Season:
1998 – 2002 – 2004
League Manager of The Year:
2001/02 – 2003/04
Premier League Manager of The Month:
March 1998 – April 1998 – October 2000 – April 2002 – September 2002 – August 2003 – February 2004 – August 2004 – September 2007 – December 2007 – February 2011 – February 2012 – September 2013 – March 2015 – October 2015
THE NUMBERS GAME, as laid out in the Huddersfield programme at Arsene’s last premier league game for The Arsenal:
1996 was the year Arsene joined the club – 3 was the number of doubles he won – 49 was the number of premier league games the Invincibles went unbeaten, from May 2003 to October 2004 – 7 was the number of FA Cup trophies won, a record – 221 the number of players to play for The Gunners under Wenger – 704 was the number of wins under his management – 1,553 was the number of goals scored by his teams – 1,621 was the number of premier league points won by his teams.
For twenty of his twenty-two-year reign, he guided The Arsenal to:
3 number 1 positions.
6 number 2 positions.
5 number 3 positions.
6 number 4 positions.
In doing so, we saw our club compete in the CL for a record 20 consecutive seasons, including one final, two semi-finals and reaching the knockout/quarter final stages on 16 occasions.
The Invincibles have gone down in football folklore and it was Arsene’s dream of building a team that would go unbeaten for a full season that drove him and that wonderful group of players to achieve their own immortality.
Seven FA cup wins saw him personally become the most successful manager in the oldest cup competition in the world and The Arsenal sit proudly holding the record as the most successful club in this competition also.
Here are just a few of the quotes from fellow professionals within the game:
MANAGERS: PAST AND PRESENT
SIR ALEX FERGUSON – “What a career, absolutely fantastic. Apart from his managerial skills, he’s shown an incredible endurance, durability and determination”.
JOSE MOURINHO – “He made lots of history in that football club. The nickname is there…The Invincibles…Amazing. A coaching philosophy, the almost perfect team. He is one of the best managers in the history of football.”
JURGEN KLOPP – “I admired his work always; it was always brilliant – he was and still is an influencer in football. He has a fantastic career, outstanding personality, he’s a really big player in the business.”
PEP GUARDIOLA – “He has all of my respect for what he has done. The Premier League is about huge personalities like Arsene. It is what it is because of what he has done, his vision.”
MIKEL ARTETA – “I had a dream and it was to play for this football club – There was one man and his name was Arsene Wenger who believed in me and gave me the opportunity to play for this club. After that he made me captain of this football club and I wouldn’t be sitting here if he didn’t have the vision to give me the opportunity to enjoy this incredible football club.”
PLAYERS: PAST AND PRESENT
TONY ADAMS – “Thanks for everything Arsene.”
THIERRY HENRY – “When you think about Arsenal, you think about Arsene and vice versa.”
PATRICK VIEIRA – “He gave me trust and that trust and confidence allowed me to express myself.”
LAUREN – “We all have something from Wenger, Dennis, Thierry, Patrick – because it was masterclass in everything. In psychology, in tactical situations, how to put your body in certain positions to win the ball, how to pass the ball at the right moment.”
MARTIN KEOWN – “This guy was an incredible visionary, a hugely intelligent individual and he’s not part of the football club. That is a waste, a massive waste.”
ADAM TOMLINSON – “A man who helped transform English football and one who has written his name in both Arsenal and Premier League history.”
IAN WRIGHT – “He was so far ahead of his time – he took you to a place where you had to be, literally the best you could be and that’s what he did with us.”
DENNIS BERGKAMP – “We had the same idea about football. We like the creative style of football and off the pitch, we like the discipline to give everything to football. It was good from the beginning and it only grew and grew and we respected each other a lot.”
CESC FABREGAS – “He deserves all the respect in the world – I will never forget his guidance and support, his tutelage and mentorship. He had faith in me from day one and I owe him a lot, he was like a father figure to me, who always pushed me to be the best.”
PER MERTESACKER – “He’s someone who has been so magnificent for this club. It would be great to get him to share wisdom and share his experiences with a lot of young people who have not seen a lot in the world of football, and he has.”
GILBERTO SILVA – “The winning mentality was a key factor for all of us. It started from Arsene and came down to every player. It was great to play under him. He was remarkably simple in the way he would tell us what to do but in a very effective way. He always went back to basics to provide us with the best training sessions.”
ADRIAN CLARKE – “With Arsene, warmups were more like Pilates class, so it was a shock to the system, but we felt stronger in a matter of weeks.”
EMMANUEL PETIT – “He was amazing to my career. He was like a father figure to me at Monaco and it was amazing to come with him to Arsenal and achieve this success. I will never forget what he did for me.”
BOB WILSON – “Arsene was different to everybody else who was around at that time. He changed the philosophy of managers, of clubs, of players. He bought football into a totally different era. The man was a visionary.”
DOUBLE ACT PARTNER:
DAVID DEIN – quoted as saying “A star has dropped out of the sky” when Arsene announced his resignation – “His legacy will last forever, and he has made his mark on English football. His legacy will be for global football – His style of play – The way he has conducted himself – His integrity – His honesty – The way he has handled players – What he has done for the club is immeasurable – He will go down in history as the greatest Arsenal manager ever – We’ve built a fantastic training ground, sensational stadium – it was on the back of The Invincible team of 2003/04 that we managed to get financing for the stadium.”…….
The Emirates stadium move was first discussed in November 1999, planning permission granted in May 2002 and building begun in February 2004, after funding was secured. Part of the security for this funding, was that Arsene would be at the club for five years and he signed a contract to that effect, imagine that one man had that kind of impact on the banks!!!!
The move came at great expense, not only the building of the stadium, but also the consistent need to sell our top performing stars to help pay for the project.
As an example, during the 2011/12 campaign, we suffered a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Manchester United, but it is worth remembering that Wenger had been forced to transfer Fabregas (Barcelona) and Nasri (Manchester City) within a week of each other and just before the season started.
At the end of the season, however and with, once again, Wenger having to rebuild his team when his most important players forced a move, he still kept us in the top three and the Champions League.
The seasons goal tally, despite the United result, read – For 74 – Against 49 – GD +25
His signings that season, as he rebuilt the squad, were Arteta, Mertesacker, Benayoun and Santos and it is interesting to note as well, both Arteta and Per Mertesacker remain, achieving great results for the club and more than happy to talk about the positive influence Arsene had on their individual careers.
The fact that our present owner, Stan Kroenke, was also beginning to flex his financial muscle by buying shares and David Dein being sacked in 2007, saw Arsene continually trying to rebuild his teams and, when Gazidis replaced Dein in 2009, the changes left Arsene battling to reach the heights of previous years, with a new owner, who gave him peanuts to replace top players and a man, in Gazidis, who would eventually stab him in the back (my personal opinion regarding Gazidis).
Despite all the above going on, Arsene was able to keep The Arsenal in the top four for 20 consecutive years, even after the new money arrival of Chelsea’s Abramovich and City’s oil reserves that completely changed the face of English football.
One final fact obtained from a blogger called CG – Arsene Wenger has more premier league wins @ 476 than the spuds football club has had @ 457, what an incredible stat to digest!!!
Arsene has since admitted that he stayed at the club too long but was obsessed with trying to deliver the title once again.
Now those are the FACTS – here are my PERSONAL OPINIONS:
It seems most supporters, including myself, are of the opinion that he should have resigned after beating the champions, Chelsea, at Wembley in 2017 and following his side finishing fifth – the first time his side had failed to qualify for the CL – and the season after, going down a further place to sixth.
BUT STATUES ARE ERECTED TO THOSE WHO HAVE BROUGHT SUCCESS TO THE CLUB – JUST LOOK AT THE FOUR LEGENDS ALREADY IN PLACE:
Arsene Wenger’s twenty two years at the helm elevated The Arsenal to new heights around the world for his attractive, attacking, full flowing style of football and those of us lucky enough to witness it, will always remember it as the best time ever to be an Arsenal supporter.
His final home game, a five-nil thrashing of Burnley, saw a reported 60,000 plus fans, both inside and outside the stadium, rise to Arsene Wenger and give him the send-off he thoroughly deserved.
There was over a one hour line of fans waiting to sign a book of recognition outside the Armoury shop (I know this, because I was part of it!!) and the club arranged the kind of send-off fit for the great man.
Arsene has remained quiet about his final two years, but he did say the following when asked about his feelings for the club:
“I miss Arsenal, I left my heart in there. I gave my life to this club for 22 years. Every minute of my life was dedicated to this club and I miss the values we developed. I support Arsenal, it will be forever my club”.
Arsene, we salute and thank you for the wonderful years you gave to our/your club – you surely deserve the statue and, thereby, become one of the Immortals that surround The Emirates.
“MERCI ARSENE”
ken 1945
Ken- you missed giving us Wengers inside leg measurement. Sloppy work PAL.
Best joke ever on here Phil. Loved it! I’m sure you noticed, as I did, that his Christian names spell out A.C.E!
Top notch, Ken 👍 Surely it’s only a matter of time.
And I love the spud stat 🤣
And what a day his send off was, Ken! I loved every minute of it!
Sue, still got the t shirt!!!
It was indeed a fantastic day, emotional, gratifying and sad all at the same time.
I stood so long in the queue, I forgot what I wanted to say and just wrote something like “thanks for everything”!!!
What a ridiculous response….I’ve kicked myself ever since – ESPECIALLY as I signed it “love Phil and Jon”!!!!!
And the programme! 😉 Some of those t shirts are for sale on Ebay. One is priced at £48.50!!! More than what I paid for both tickets that day!!
‘Love Phil and Jon’ 🤣🤣👍
What I always love when fans post is evidence, facts and figures to properly back up their opinions. There is little BUT evidence in Ken’s brilliant post.
I had no idea he had British middle names and am surprised, as his parents were not Brits. Of course both Ernest and Charles are also French names but lets pretend we don’t know that! His Mum and Dad obviously knew his Arsenal career in advance!
This standard of article is a rarity on this site and we need more knowledgeable folk like Ken – and there are plenty on this site – to submit articles. And Ken, we also need more from you. I loved it!
I agree Jon- the depth this Headline Topic goes into shows how much Ken went into when writing this.
But has anyone given any thought about WHERE this statue should be sited? Some cynical anti Wenger supporters would no doubt suggest erecting it right in the middle of the Disabled Cannine WC Facility. I of course would not comment on this…………………
Phil With thepassage of time and the fact that overrall we are no better off now than when he left, I have adjusted my thinking on Wenger and much now prefer to look at theovereall era ans esp hs first decade plus til about 2008. Despite being an opinionated old git as you know better than most, I am not on eto hold grudkes or to livein the past. Life always moves on and our attitudes, if we are wise, should always look for the best out of things however bleak they may feel currently.
So I ask myself, would Arsenal gladly accept another Wenger today, if we knew in advance the whole 22 years ahead and I know that I would grab it with both hands. And really Phil, THAT is the bottom line, at least from my own standpoint.
On another topic, I am about to submit a long article probably in three parts, on the whole effect of how life in football will be radically changed from now on. I see a massive opportunity to make radical changes for the better in footballs morality with new attitudes across society and plasers being pesuaded or forced into a new wage reality .
That will also impact on transfer values and MAY well prove itself by us keeping Auba, for lack of a viable transfer offer. I am waiting for PATS assurance that he will publish ALL my long screed before emailing it.
Why not write an article yourself, as you have so much deep Arsenal and life experiences to tell?
OT
French sport has been cancelled until September so the chances of PL resuming is rapidly diminishing
Kudo @ ken1945, thanks for this celebration.
I am not short of words to say about my fascination for this kindness done to point us, refreshingly, to the ” for ever footprint on sand of time”
For me Arsene, is love affair for ever. He is joy for me ever time, deep in my soul. Because am awed by his demonstrated capabilities, not is faults that are not many.
Long live le Prof. There is only one Arsene Wenger, only one!
Ken
A brilliantly constructed article and a pleasure to read especially the remarks from his peer group who respected his achievements
SueP, thank you. I did reply to your question regarding Ozil last night, but it was deleted. Why I have no idea.
I wanted you to know that, but I think we should move on from that subject as it got out of hand.
Hope you understand, suffice it to say, I admire your own personal commitments as well.
I do worry that some posts are being removed
Jon and I agreed on an article and the next time I looked we had vanished but the post above us was still there
And yes, last night’s barney is best forgotten
Great article @Ken, I’ve been watching The Arsenal since the early sixties and always loved match days at Highbury from my first days in the North Bank and Clock End, finally ending up with season tickets with my dad in the front row of the upper tier West Stand in line with the 18 yard line at the North Bank end. Our style of football never bothered me, it was all about the atmosphere, rivalry and winning, usually 1-nil, but obviously we also lost loads and had some terrible seasons. Loved George Graham as a manager but when Arsene arrived and we started playing the most fantastic football I’d ever seen and won titles and cups, my whole attitude about how the game was being played changed. Yes he stayed too long but what a time to be a Gooner when he was managing us to League wins and Cups with fabulously entertaining football.
@jon, I am really looking forward to your articles and know, even before reading them, I will be agreeing with your thoughts on where football Is heading, can’t wait.
Thanks Declan and so sorry I neglected to include you in my short list of Gooners on here whom I much respect, I did say “and many others too” but should have mentioned YOU by name, so NO excuse. Slaps wrist, says ouch!!
Have today submitted the first and long part of what I intend will now be more regular posts, but concentrating not on ins and outs rumours . I leave that in the capable hands of others who have form for doing so.
Thanks also from me Declan, glad you liked the article.
Like you I await, with interest, what the role is wise old sage will be talking about – his thoughts are always thought provoking.
No doubt he’s a legend, but a unique one. Left the club in a far worse start than what he inherited, and is probably the only manager in history at a top club, to go so long without a trophy, and oversee such a long period of regression, WITHOUT getting the sack! Not to mention the amount of humiliations both home and abroad.
I am not bashing Wenger, just pointing out the facts about his legacy that many cherry pickers conveniently ignore. Even his most ardent supporters would agree it was a tale of two halves.
I’ll happily acknowledge that he’s given me some of the best memories I may EVER have as an Arsenal fan. The most entertaining football that anyone has seen, and of course…The Invincible’s! He also revolutionized English football.
I just wish he left at least 8 years before he eventually did.
A unique legend!
I live in Uganda and many of us arsenal supporters witnessed perhaps what we shall never see again. Arsenal 2003/4 played in a way that made you miss a funeral of a loved one. i remember i never missed watching any single game. it is as if yesterday. The standards Wenger set are the very ones he couldnt emulate and some of the fans started battering him. if you watch the replays of those early years of Wengers success at Arsenal you just dont want to stop. very enjoyable football.
kenno, so pleased that my article reached out as far as Uganda and the fact that we have such devoted supporters from so far away. I salute you sir, I really do!!
It is so easy for us very lucky season ticket holders to take for granted the fact that we arrive for every game – sometimes forgetting the legions of fans throughout the world who are just as passionate and in love with the club as we are. Have you ever managed to see our club live and do you have any memorabIlia such as programmes etc?
Thanks again for the reply, i really do appreciate it.
Arsene Wenger introduced the style of play that I really admired. The style of play is quickly vanishing, and now Arsenal is playing boring football. The old man deserve it
Ken, I commend your article and the enormous time you must have spent researching it. No long post from me except to say no one deserves the statue more than Arsene Wenger, THE greatest manager of The Arsenal.
Andrew, thanks for that – it was like cleansing my soul and there was so much more I could have written from players etc.
Really hope he returns soon, what an Ambassador for the club he would be!!
Ken, I know what you mean and I second your thoughts and hopes on his returning home in some capacity. This man made me extra proud to be an Arsenal fan.
Not only an Arsenal legend but a premiership legend also ,being IMO one of only 3 managers I would call as a modern day legend in the league ,the other 2 being Sir Alex and Jose just because of what they achieved and bought to this league .
Will go down as one of the greatest managers to grace these shores and will go down as the ultimate manager who put together the greatest team I’ve ever seen witnessed.
Dan, so good to see you back my friend – missed your wit and sense.
Keep safe and well and don’t let the b@@@@@s get you down!!!
Agree completely with your post as usual.
Dan I’m in total agreement with what you said about him being one best three managers that grace epl in recent time if not ever. Though he may not have won as much as Sir Alex or more than Jose, it is so frivolous to think he is not a unique legend having been the only one has a golden trophy. What can I say about this article? Good stuff as usual Ken. You, Phil, Sue, SueP, Kenny, Jon Eddie…… are some of few I visited this site lately because your comments are not only enlightening or educational in all thing Arsenal but also useful in other aspects of life.
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Wow Mobella, thank you for the comment.
I love the fact that you see AW in the same way – believe me, there are many millions more with the same view..
Take care of you and yours.
I would like to add that really thoughtful articles get lots of viewpoints and this one hit the mark
Sometimes less is more!
Auto wotsit ruined the previous post
Viewpoint is wrong but I now don’t remember what it should have been..🙄… points of view possibly… pass the vino please
Thank you sir for writing such an enlightening article on one of Arsenal Football Club’s legendary figures. This is my first time commenting on the site. Arsenal was the team that drew me to football and although by the time I started following the club the times were not good anymore, still the wonderful display of football and the storied history of our club and above all the charisma of the great man has ensured that I remain a supporter still.
Sid, thank you for the reply, it is good to know you view him as I do and that he brought you to the club.
Hope you contribute many more times.
hats of to a great guy AW who gave us greatness in the past And Merci ken 1945 for the great read,
I think we should definitely erect a statue outside and name the arch where players come out to the pitch by calling it “Arch The ACE Wagner”
Tas the good news is that the statue has been commissioned and it is hoped that the unveiling ceremony takes place at the start of the next season, whenever that will be – thanks for your comments.
Great article again Ken. During the Highbury years of Arsene’s tenure he won 3 Premier League titles. in that brilliant first ten years he should have won 6, yes, we were that good. Wenger wasn’t only up against Alex Ferguson, he also battled the bias bodies of The Premier League, The PGMOL and most bias of all Sky Sports who all backed Ferguson to the hilt. During that period “Fergie time” became a joke for the media and United fans alike but all it really done was deprive Arsene of even more success than he had. They couldn’t handle the Invincible season and we’ve paid for it ever since.
I’ve also just seen that France have followed Holland in cancelling their leagues yet the FA in their desperation to give Liverpool their first title in almost 30 years are planning to go ahead with the Premier League behind closed doors risking, according to FIFA’s Chief Medical Officer, the lives of players and their families. HEALTH BEFORE WEALTH
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Ken, I beg to differ, but will not debate this article as you have used a lot of time and effort to compile and write this, would not want to take away the shine of this article. I was expecting him to announce his resignation after the FA / league cup loss, but he clung on and the last two years were painful. Nevertheless, the Invincibles was his doing, which I use as a benchmark, so give credit where it is due, but having a statue, not convinced he has done enough.
Each to their own Loose Cannon, good to disagree in suc a nice way my fellow Gooner!!
Great work Ken. Thank you. Keep them coming.
Stay safe.
Thanks snowden, I am trying to find positivity in these awful days of corona virus – take care yourself my friend.
There you go again LG. Always look on the whingy side of life. Never ever on the bright side of life.
Come on Kroenke, even you must recognise what Arsene did for this club and if it wasn’t for him I am certain you would not have wanted to buy this club……….But sadly you did..
There is nothing more to say than……… MERCI ARSENE