I know most Arsenal fans won’t like to keep hearing Wenger’s name being mentioned every time Arsenal is talked about. A lot of Arsenal fans don’t even want the man near the club; but the sad thing is they can’t stop his name being mentioned anyway because as far as the world is concerned, Wenger is an Arsenal legend and legends are forever.
There is this thing that has been on my mind ever since the great Frenchman left, and that is the possibility of Wenger being brought back to Arsenal to play a significant role in moving the club forward. Wenger is an experienced football manager who has coached many great Arsenal sides in the past. His experience can be a valuable tool, both on and off the pitch. So, why would I want the club to bring him back and why?
For starters, the greatest coach we have ever had in the club’s history is Arsene Wenger! The Frenchman took charge of Arsenal in 1996 and later went on to have great success. Wenger led Arsenal to 17 major trophies in his 22-year spell, including three Premier Leagues and seven FA Cups. With this type of record, nobody can argue with the fact that he is our greatest manager. Sacking him, does not mean he can’t still work with the club. Yes, he once said he doesn’t think he would want to come back to Arsenal in any capacity, but then every man has a price, right?
Now to my other reason. Do we remember the kind of relationship Wenger had with his players while he was coach of Arsenal? Wenger had this special father-son type of relationship and it helped him to win the loyalty of his players. He may not have done much with the players but the numbers of trophies he won meant he actually knew how to make his players play and win for him. In football, you can’t win everything and so, nobody will really blame him for not winning more trophies than he did.
When Arsenal were looking to fill the position of the club’s director of football, I had hoped that we would look towards his direction; well they didn’t but then it would have been a great idea if they had. Wenger knows how to spot and nurture talents, he knows how to look out for his players and he knows how to make them play for the club. With so many players not doing well right now, Wenger would be a welcome idea. To the young players at the club, Wenger is the father figure they need. I am even of the school of thought that having Wenger around more often will benefit Arteta in the long run. Can we just make Wenger an ambassador or something please? The man deserves it. We are Arsenal and we are proud.
Sylvester Kwentua
Would be best news if Arsene came back, he should never have gone , just stayed and brought Arteta along with him for him to eventually make Arteta manager and Arsene overseeing things in a senior role at the club. HE WAS THE BEST
Spot on, absolutely. Exactly how myself and many old supporters feel. The you g mouthy hotheads won’t have it though and will pile abuse.
I’m an OLD hothead and I do.NOT want Wenger back
Not about old or young but people with sense and knowledge of & passion for football!
Of course Arteta would benefit and wish he had him a boss, so does players be happy if he was president or GM, football world would love it as EPL. Wouldn’t be so much bad management and results!
Mainly, it would make us look to bigger dimension we used to, attracting top players! Of course be great for Arsenal, just as it is great to see how Man U cherishes Sir Alex which really makes us look so shitty and ingrate losers we became with such spirits and ignorance around!
They need to see us in relegation fight in order to realize, and I’m not sure they would!
I hope Wenger returns on day and is given the cash to spend.
Yes he had success in the 22 years in charge but in the last 8 years of his reign he proved that he was out of touch and out of ideas.
I say 8 years because for me it all stared to unravel after the 8-2 spanking from Manure. His philosophy and style of beautiful football became predictable and easily countered. As my friend said in 2014 “he has turned the players into a bunch of pussies”.
Football evolved but like a stubborn dinosaur he didn’t move with the times.
For that reason I would not have him back at the club in any capacity.
Football is evolving again and we need to move forward with it, why have someone who’s proved that they are stuck in the past and not able to adapt to modern methods.
The only ex Arsenal person from that era I would like to see come back is David Dein.
Also I’m not a young hothead, I’m a realist that wants the club to move forward, not slip back into mediocrity.
Amen to that, Dan, exactly my sentiments as well.
As you can tell I’m dead against him coming back to the club lol.
When he first came he changed the way football was played. He rightly lived up the the title of The Professor. I still commend and thank him for that and wish him well in his life. But just hope it’s not at Arsenal.
Well said Dan, there were reasons for Wenger leaving. The game has moved passed Wenger, so let’s appreciate what he has done, and not pretend he still has any answers.
Here here, lm with you !!!
I’ve been a fan for 65 yrs and those last years with Wenger were painful . The man was delusional . I knew when to stop , he didn’t . But then £10 million pa. is a good reason to stay wouldn’t you say ..
Your opinion is fine, whether her comes back or not, his name cannot be erased from arsenal as a club or EPL. As a league..
In his time he was one of the best around…
If his time is over fine he can go, Cristal palace coach isn’t better than him, but he is still supported by fans and players…
I still stand to by one word, Wenger never lost it, but the fans were never patient with him, the set him up and distriyeddestroyed his ideas…
Started by saying he doesn’t spend… And he got ozil and sanchaz and fixing emirate stadium debts..
He brought in good players earlier…
Ashavin, Rosicki, song, Gnabri, Walcott, wilsher… These are new ones, not the Henry set.. You can name it all.. .
Stop criticizing the man… He is the best and for a long time he will still remain the best…
Up arsenal
Let’s hope he brings his many recruitment contacts with him and we can all enjoy many more seasons of players with the Calibre of
Mustafi
Xhaka
Gervinho
Squillach
Silvestre
Santos……………. I can’t wait I’m so excited
Don’t forget all the years of Walcott and Wilshere.
To be fair to him after his successful years with the Invincibles he still unearthed some gems but they all left to move to clubs who had bigger ambitions than an odd FA cup and 4th place. Letting Van Persie go to a direct rival for pocket money was a huge sin.
Also addressing your statement “Do we remember the kind of relationship Wenger had with his players while he was coach of Arsenal? Wenger had this special father-son type of relationship and it helped him to win the loyalty of his players”.
It was the type of relationship where parents don’t see the faults in the children. Where their children are little angels whatever they do.
Look at Klopp. They are on a completely different level than any other team. It hurts me to say it but they are the best TEAM in the world at the moment. They are Champion league and World club cup holders, cruising their way to the league title but if a player is not performing on the pitch Klopp is on the touchline screaming and gesturing at them. He gives them a earful yet they all respect him and show their loyalty to him.
We don’t need someone who will wrap our players in cotton wool and give them cookies and milk if they perform badly.
He has been away from the club for some time now and we are progressing. In the wrong direction. Yes he is too old to return but it will take arsenal a long time to get someone like him. People like Wenger, Furgason, with that x factor don’t happen that frequently. That is why for some of us the team and the club are unrecognizable. A special personality makes an establishment special. It took many years for Liverpool to get someone like Klop. Now it’s their turn. I also believe that it is Brendan Rodgers who set Liverpool on that path. Klop just has that x factor. The ability to spot players etc. Wenger had that.
If he came back he would not bring back the late 90’s to mid 2000’s. He would bring back the dozen years of not competing for the Premier League and not competing for Champions League
Be very careful for what you wish for. Think with your Brain Not with your heart
Lets all move on and let wenger retire in peace. No one man joined this club together like wenger but no one man divided it like wenger either. Remember his success and honour him for his achievements, if thats what people want but his final few years of complete nepotism and misjudgment have ruined this club and totally divided and bittered fans, which we are now suffering for, in more ways than one and people who cant move on are just making it worse. We are in a new era now just like after GG, let the people in charge get on with running this club their way and try to right the terrible wrongs without outside interference. Bringing wenger back in any capacity is one of the worse ideas ever. He is the past, now the future.
Thank you Reggie, 1000% 👍👍👍
I do not mind him coming back at some point in the future, but only as long as he’s not involved in ANY decision making processes.
It’s been two years since Wenger left, and we’re STILL clearing up the mess that he, and others, left behind. It’s too soon to bring him back. Once the current board can get to grips with the problems, then I’d be happy to see him back.
When I see your post, I’m asking myself this similar question. How many years Man U needs to clean the mess left by Sir Alex.?
I dont think Sir Alex and A.Wenger did not mess their club.
Dan – I believe we had a massive amount of injured players on that fateful day, but you may also remember the great traitor missed a penalty at 2-2 or there about. I don’t think this would have made a difference to the result, but have you ever thought to yourself that maybe one forward had his mind elsewhere. I often do and will never forgive the turncoat bastard.
Wenger should stay away. He should be respected as one of our great managers and perhaps the greatest although his last 8 years preclude him from being our greatest manager without debate IMO.
Wenger, in the end, allowed mistakes to be made with respect to spending big money on players that didn’t work out (Xhaka, Mustafi, Chambers etc.), he no longer had the respect of the players who stopped putting in a shift for him and he no longer was in touch with the power shift in modern football still thinking he had a squad that could win the PL even in his last season.
I think we can be proud of the quality of human being Wenger was and his class and kindness. He would make me proud if he was an ambassador for the club. But please don’t let him near decisions like player recruitment or manager appointment.
This subject needs deep thought. On the one polar hand , you have fans such as Phil who would not have Wenger anywher near the club in any capacity at all. On the other polar hand you have such as Sylvester , who in his article and in his usual non depth thinking, would have Wenger as “director of football , ambassador or something please”! As if those positions are all the same! How typical of Sylvesters excitable posts which lack clear and logical thought so very often.
Along with Phil, I was one of the most fierce critics of all when Wenger was manager, in his last several years.
BUT, to be a CEO, which would be ideal or failing that then director of football, would be a great coup, in my usual considered opinion. As for “an ambassador or something please”, – kit man perhaps or tea maker – words fail me ! Wenger brings wisdom, honesty, integrity(which is subtly different from mere honesty) and passion . He also brings stature, countless contacts, respect and admiration from countless millions, EVEN FROM those,like me, who would never have him back as manager.
That being said, I think it extremely unlikely that either he would be offered any substantive post or would accept, as he is now involved elsewhere, it appears. But he woud be a great asset, used in a SUBSTANTIVE post as I outlined above. If you were given the choice of Sanllehi or Wenger as head of football, it is a no brainer! But not to Phil, though as we all are, he is fully entitled to his opinion.
I feel I should add that team matters and club matters are two entirely separate things, even though clearly connected. I would never have Wenger back if it meant he had any say in which players come and go. Those decisions should ALWAYS AND ONLY be made by ARTETA. But in matters of how the club is structured , how it represents itself in the football and wider world, I can think of no one who comes close to Wenger in suitability. I realise many will fail to see how I can be so critical of Wenger when he managed us and yet be so keen to have him back in a substantive CLUB, but non team selection, role. Nor does that realisation surprise me even a jot, given the general lack of clear defined thought that is so common on this and all fans sites. Bias so often, sadly, prevents clear thought. I DO have NATURAL bias, but being clear sighted and honest to myself, I am easily able to set it aside when making my Arsenal opinions. I know that bias means lack of clear truth to oneself and for that reason I am able to set it aside.
Wish people would just stop going on about Wenger.
Don’t want the guy anywhere near the club.
One big mistake in your article Sylvester:
UE was SACKED -now tell me how that compares in any way to AW’s six months resignation saga?
UE was here one day and gone the next – no T shirts, no unique gold trophy presented to him, no “merci arsene” farewell final match at the Emirates, just a quick thanks but no thanks and off you go.
Don’t be fooled by those fans who think they influenced in any way AW’s departure, the great man gave the club six months to find his replacement, even after the personal abuse given to him and actually wanted MA to replace him….the rest is history.
The last two years were the only blips on his reign under kronkie and gazidis and I was so pleased he told them to shove it when he resigned…still waiting for SOMEONE, ANYONE, to explain how, with no idea of defending, signing dross players and being out of touch with modern football (AW was modern football!!), we stayed in the CL for twenty years, were top four for twenty years, won seven fa cups and moved from a 38,000 stadium to a 60,000 state of the art complex, paid for partly by having to sell his best players on a regular basis.
Yes, sacking and resigning are different, some supporters are still confused. Most of the football managers got sacked, like poch, Mourinho… not Wenger. To me, Arsene Wenger resigned from his job before his contract expire.
Ken i cant disagree with much you have just written but the stadium was not funded at all by sales of players. It was funded by real estate and sponsorships. Probably wengers biggest problem was when he got more money to spend on players in his last 4 years, he didn’t improve the team or its performances, in fact it probably got worse. Ok lets just say he worked well for 8 to 9 years on a tight budget but he didn’t work well on a bigger one. I would go as far as to say and you wont like this, he wasn’t upto working in better conditions and bigger expectations.
Wenger started the whole way of playing sideways and backwards after the really BIG players left and retired and were replaced by mostly mediocre fodder. We have wanted to walk the ball into the net ever since then, instead of pulling the trigger when in sight of goal. Wenger was the one that said his team can go from one penalty area to the other in 6 seconds. What happened to that? It is not possible to do that if even one pass goes sideways or back. Bring him back? You must be joking! As I have stated ad nauseam, he WAS a great coach up to 2008 approximately, but then he lost it. Never listened to anybody. All those people wanting him to come back PLEASE tell me what Steve Bould was doing sitting next to him for years, ans before him Pat Rice. Those are some of the best defenders of their respective eras. Does it seem as if he ever took ANY of their advice, looking at the way he decimated our defence.
OK, enough. Keep him away. Erect as many statues as you want, and rename the club after him(joking) , but he stays away.
yes he can came back iam supporter for 20yrs and know I would like to see him again because he’s an intalgent person and legend for us iam a fan of arsenal and a fan of Wenger we are welcoming him back he’s best manager on the world