Wenger – “I don’t buy Success, I make it” by mantak
This is a quote from Arsene Wenger in an interview with the Independent in 2008. Success – I make it, I won’t buy it
In recent months I’ve been recalling what most irritated Arsenal fans over the past decade and one that springs to mind is the excuse Wenger always used when fans questioned why we never made major signings. His excuse back then was that we need to spend money on quality and it is very difficult to find. Really?
For a period most fans accepted that, defending ‘Le Prof’ for knowing how to bring complete unknown players through but since Fabregas how many complete unknowns have actually flourished under Wenger?
Now it appears, given the acquisitions of recent years including Auba, Lacazette Ozil, Sanchez…his policy to nurture and develop players has been abandoned. Those players who were bought to be developed such as Sanogo, Campbell, Chambers, Holding, Oxlade Chamberlain, Perez…which out of them managed to grow under his guidance? I won’t accept the Ox’s current form is as a consequence of what he learned at Arsenal but more what Jurgen Klopp has given him.
Recounting Ray Parlour’s book ‘ The Romford Pele’, ( which is a must read by the way ), he highlights what the key strength of The Invincible’s was : Balance.
It wasn’t a team full of Thierry Henry’s, it wasn’t 10 outfield Vieira’s, it was a blend of playing styles, abilities and mentalities. What made that a unique team was that 11 players, from completely different backgrounds, came to together to form the ‘perfect team’. Wenger created that. Fact.
The current team group, although perhaps individually good to great players, are quite simply the most unbalanced squad Wenger has managed to create during his reign. They lack leadership, aggression, character, drive and determination. That is the defining difference between the players of the clubs glittering past and those that turn out for Arsenal today.
The hypocrisy of Wenger, when quoting his arrogant boast from 2008 of creating success rather than buying it, condemns him to his own sword. It is simply not acceptable in replying to current criticism but saying we are suffering from a lack of confidence and togetherness.
As bosses like Harry Redknapp and Terry Venables proved in the past, a manager can motivate players to play above and beyond their ability: Good players will play great, great players will play excellently. Similarly a bad manager will bring down players to play below their ability: Lacazette, The Ox, Xhaka……and in recent weeks Ozil, Kos and Bellerin. This latter groups of players are great players, make no mistake but the issue for them is the way in which they are being managed as Ox has clearly demonstrated since his departure.
And so, referring back to the title of this piece, Wenger by his own admission creates the team, he doesn’t buy it. And in a court of law I believe that would be a sufficient argument to send him down.
Mantak
