Surprise surprise! Arsene Wenger was asked again this week if he had given any thought to his future after Arsenal, in particular if he would like to manage an international side at a World Cup. Le Prof made it clear that he would never willingly give up his job as manager of Arsenal, until the day that he is physically incapable of carrying on, and only then would he consider a job as an international coach. “Maybe one day I will do it at some stage, ” Wenger said. “but until now I like to be involved every day in the life of a club because the real test is there.
“Four or five weeks is a different experience, it’s more concentrated whereas the real test is to manage on a daily basis but I will not always have the physical strength to do that.
“Yes of course (I’d be tempted) because my life is linked with football and, depending on my physical state, but until the end of my life I will be in football.”
So he will never give up the job, and the fact is that he will never be sacked either. This year’s Arsenal AGM was a farce with Stan Kroenke refusing to say a word, Ivan Gazidis giving a ‘presentation’, and Chips Keswick basically telling the shareholders to keep their noses out. The only person on that stage that actually showed that they cared about the club and what the fans had to say was…. Arsene Wenger!
As the ex-Arsenal striker Alan Smith put it: “There’s a lack of strong leadership at the top of Arsenal,”
“Stan Kroenke isn’t that engaged, not conversant with English football.
“He’s not passionate about the sport, as much as he might try to make you think he is. That’s creating instability around the club.
“[The AGM] was unfortunate to say the least. I was surprised at the way Sir Chips Keswick behaved.
“Those fans deserve to be treated with respect and their questions listened to and answered. It didn’t do the club any favours.”
So where would Arsenal be without Arsene Wenger? The Board and owners don’t seem to want to have anything to do with it and let Wenger run it how he wants, and they are happy to know that they can make lots of money without basically having to do anything. The whole fabric of the club will fall apart when Wenger finally walks out that door (or more likely carried off on a stretcher). No one else would know what to do!
I know a lot of Arsenal fans are calling for change of manager, but I say ‘Be careful what you wish for’.
Sam P