Dein reveals how Wenger convinced him was the manager Arsenal needed

David Dein hired Arsene Wenger as the Arsenal manager in 1996, even though the Frenchman was inexperienced in English football at the time.

Wenger had managed in Europe, but he was in Japan when he was made the Gunners’ new boss.

Not everyone thought it was a good idea, but he brought success to north London, including the only unbeaten league season in the Premier League era.

He spent over two decades at the Emirates and Dein has now revealed how he was convinced the Frenchman was Arsenal’s best candidate for the job.

He tells the Daily Mail:

 “At a spontaneous evening with people he had never met, not speaking his mother tongue, playing an unfamiliar party game, he demonstrated the combination of intellect and personality necessary to take part in miming the titles of books and films. Within a few minutes he was acting out A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“Arsene for Arsenal. It flashed into my head like a premonition. I am not spiritual but it did feel like destiny. An accidental meeting, an instant impression.

“I had a feeling there and then that one day he would be our manager. First impressions mean a lot to me and on that first day there was chemistry. It is a similar feeling to that of a relationship in which, from the first date, you can sense something there, an instant bond.”

Just Arsenal Opinion

There is no best place to find managerial talent and Wenger proved this.

The current Arsenal team is managed by Mikel Arteta, who is a rookie at the job.

He is proving that talent is probably more important than experience sometimes.

Arsenal has made progress since he became the club’s manager and his team could win the league again soon.

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