Arsene Wenger brought about some impressive changes to the Premier League when he was named Arsenal’s manager back in 1996.
His Arsenal team developed a unique style of play that many copied and far more envied. They also won titles and other trophies before he was asked to step down in 2018.
He has remained in football even though he no longer manages any club and he is looking to make some drastic changes to the game as we know it.
The former Monaco manager is currently FIFA’s head of global football development and his position gives him the power to make changes to the game and he wants to use that to its full effect.
The Frenchman has previously been in the news for wanting to change the throw in to kick-ins for teams.
He was speaking to Bild recently and he proposes that there should be either a World Cup or Euro every year.
He claims that the Nations League should be scrapped since most people don’t understand it.
He told German publication Bild: ‘We need to get rid of the Nations League and find clearer events that everyone understands.
‘If you ask people in the street what the Nations League is, you won’t find many able to explain it.
‘We need to have as few events as possible. One World Cup and one European Championship every other year would probably be more appropriate for a modern world.’
Fans make like the idea but you cannot think that clubs will like the idea of a major tournament every single summer.
More still international football is a certain non starter. Clubs run the game, not nations, in truth.
FANS ARE FAR MORE KEEN ON THEIR CLUBS AS A WHOLE than they are on national teams. This is a simple and widely known fact which will automatically make AW’s, plan a non starter. I don’t want any more international football, but much less, TBH! THAT IS A COMMON FAN VIEW ,IMO!
I agree Jon, but the governing bodies are only interested in making money, as the sickening proposed charges for watching PL games that have just been announced.
At least with the two proposals being put forward are the two top tournaments and hold a real part with regards to football DNA (along with the African cup of nations).
I have no idea or wish to know what the current national games are all about, but the World Cup is certainly different.
A little off topic, but as you are aware, FIFA’s top man, Gianni Infantino, is currently being investigated for suspicious practices, Blatter and Platini have been found guilty, along with many others of corruption – at least with Arsene Wenger, we have a man of the highest integrity involved and, if his ideas do come to fruition, there will be no concerns over backhanders.
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he might even take over from Infantino.
Wenger should run FIFa and if he did , he would be the first honest chief since Sir Stanley Rous, KEN. I DO NOT THINK HIS IDEA FOR MORE COMPS IS EVEN A STARTER THOUGH. I do like the idea of kick ins instead of throw ins. It is FOOTball, after all!
I doubt most of the national chiefs would ever vote for Wenger, as they fear an honest man would unmask their own corroptions.
You are wrong Jon.
Most of the world league’s do not have the money to retain their talents so vast majority of worldwide fans need their national team’s games.
I personally agree with your sentiment as do probably most of English or Spanish fans, but that’s a tiny fragment of world football.
But friendlies should be reduced and Nation League scrapped as few care about those…
Have you compared crowds though, pre Coid, between league games and international games across the spectrum? I do agree that in much of Africa fans are more into national teams but not much elsewhewre , not in Europe and outside Brazil and Argentina, not much in South America either. So broadly, I STAND BY MY COMMENTS ABOVE AND DISAGREE WITH YOUR MAIN POINT.
International football is an irritant that needs to be thinned out massively. No friendlies, no nations league and knock out qualification for European and world cup at the end of the season.
stop giving quotes from Wenger, he is yesterday’s news. we do not need his advice on a new manager after Arteta. let him retire and go live in the past. Arteta is the future and doing a good job but Wenger already wants him out. please fade away
Yes the Nations League and bloody International friendlies should go and good ideas from Wenger, but his idea to change throw ins to kick ins is a stupid idea in my opinion.
It should be noted that his position does not give him the power to make changes, only to suggest them.
AW said “one event every other year”, not “every year”.
That actually means world cup in year 1, no event in year 2, euro in year 3, no event in year 4, world cup again in year 5 and so forth.
He means NO National League! LESS international tournaments.
i agree to this – don’t want to get international tournament fatigue.
Bear in mind that his quote could mean either a comp every year OR one every two years. It is not clear, from what was exactly quoted!