Sir Alex Ferguson has warned Arsenal fans that a change in management will likely backfire, while praising the character of Arsene Wenger.
The Gunners boss has come under fire in recent seasons, and has been the subject of numerous protests by sections of fans, and we have even witnessed planes being flown over stadiums brandishing the #WengerOut banner.
The Frenchman is the longest standing manager in the Premier League following Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure back in 2014, and the Scottish former coach has insisted that Wenger’s criticism’s are short-sighted.
‘At the moment, of course, with the ridiculous situation of the pressure Arsene is under, I just wonder if they realise the job he’s done,’ Ferguson said.
‘The most amazing thing about him is this: he has come through a forest of criticism for months now, and has never bowed. He has seen it right through, he has shown a determination, a stubbornness. I think when you look at that, it’s a quality, and I’m not sure they’ll get another manager like that.
‘It’s quite easy to say ‘Get rid of him’, but who do you get? Who do you get in to keep that club the way they are for the next 20 years? I really feel sorry for him because I think he’s shown outstanding qualities, and I think he has handled the whole situation. I don’t know many that have done that
‘Has long-termism vanished? I hope not, because I think the stability that a manager like Arsene Wenger has brought to Arsenal, and Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest, myself at United…there’s no evidence that sacking a manager brings success.’
United have failed to mount a title challenge since Ferguson left his post, despite huge spending by the club on big-names players each summer, and our club has finished above them every year since he left.
Fans calling for him to leave may be in for a harsh awakening, but we may be set for a change without Wenger leaving…
Could Usmanov convince Kroenke to cut and run? Would more spending end the Wenger hatred?
Pat J
Alex Ferguson stepped down, wasnt fired…stepped down, they signed some of the hottest players after that domestically and internationally, hired new coaches, increased wages. Also got a manager with strong record with some of the biggest teams, after that, also sign a manager who has a strong record in EPL. Sounds easy right? That is literally what Arsenal fans plan to do with Wenger. What makes you fans thing Arsenal will get it right? I doubt we will spend big after Wenger, who will pay for it?
Sometimes its easy to provide opinions, ideas or solutions as a fan, in reality, the world is much more complicated. Im not saying take Ferguson word for it, but hes comments about the situation are spot on.
ferguson is probably happy about our current situation, and would likely give anything to see it deteriorate. Ruminate on that
Lol taking advice from a rival. You think he will want us to win? Man u were in a different league than us they hve won so many trophies with furgeson and us we are slacking and our manager doesn’t even hve a target at all. In the end change is inevitable why not make change now? Pple only talk about man u why not talk about city,chelsea,spuds,real,barca,bayern who change there manager when he becomes stale. A change is needed wenger is no longer the answer. Lets be realistic and judge the manager with results on the pitch and not his record
That’s the problem with Arsenal they fear change and reality is every team every coach/manager embrace change even Alex Ferguson changed he adapted new methods got the best out of his squad of players, big question is does Wenger? No and yeah he changed the formation when he knew top 4 was slipping away and that formation was copied from another certain manager. Our biggest problem is the board/owner these guys know basically nothing about football, they’re purely businessman sit on their fat arses and pick up big wages and the yes man Wenger runs the club how he wants under no pressure whatsoever and all we hear is how he should choose when he leaves given how much he’s done for the club well like I said previously before he didn’t do it for free he was paid a kings ransom and now the fans should put up with mediocrity the same fans who pay the highest ticket prices in probably europe and keep their opinions to themselves all the while Wenger lives a very comfortable millionaire lifestyle yeah I know my heart doesn’t bleed for him.. Come on what does it tell you when we have to listen to West Brom and Crystal palace fans chanting we want you to stay Wenger ? Nah the man has had his chance new blood is needed and soon.
Of course I dont disagree with you, Ferguson point is that a new manager will not guarantee instant success, althought that would be hard work. Well thats the gamble isnt it, but like I said, even Man Utd who did everything that “seems like the right idea” didnt go to plan, even with much greater resources than us, which is frightening to me.
I think the success of Tottenham was also down to luck, with us, Man city, Liverpool, Man Utd having a terrible season which allowed them to gain from this situation. Man City took alot of time to transition, Chelsea did it much quicker, however football in 2017 has changed alot since then. That is why I dont believe any club could do a 180 in such a short time anymore
could there be a worse run than this? how can you compete for 13 years and win nothing, and compete for 20 years (UCL) and win nothing and you say we should not try and do better? is 20 years in the UCL equal to one UCL title?? is being in the top 4 for 13 years equal to one EPL title? Ferguson will do whatever it takes to weaken us, while waiting for his team to gain their strength and get back to winning ways, while we are stuck with the same man who views failure as success.
“however football in 2017 has changed alot since then”, you are very right, that’s why everyone has changed to match the changes in the football world except Arsenal, who thinks missing on the top 4 and sacking Wenger will make us West Brom.. football has changed but Wenger has not, he is stuck somewhere in 2004 or 2005. Spurs were our good customers but now they have a better squad than ours, young and ambitious manager, and we are waiting for Wenger to change his philosophy coz we can’t remove him coz he’s done so much in the past
everyone takes time when changing managers, we are afraid of that. by the way, those who changed managers will already have passed that hard time, and we haven’t even started. good luck to us
I agreed with you .can the glazzer family accept that In Manchester.so am very optimistic that Wenger has nothing to offer us .Ferguson himself will be mocking arsenal in one corner.
Whatever sir Alex says doesnt matter to arsenal…am sure Mou would be sacked if he fails to win the europa keague this season
Chelsea and the rest has had so many managerial changes and the rest too. It appears arsenal and its majority fanbase is the only team afraid of change…because we can’t seem to understand that change is inevitable and we are only delaying the reinvention process of arsenal. Do you honestly think a club which has been so very poor at transfers, making timely strategic administrative changes will suddenly get it right with arsene gone.? The only reason wenger is still here is cause of MOST of us the fans…don’t realize we are part of the cycle.we perpetuate the cycle by being comfortable in our need for security it’s so sickening and pathetic to see and watch. We keep complaining about being the only club that’s predictable blah blah but we keep showing our support by turning up for these games. …and please don’t get me started on the support your club and not the manager tripe cause it doesn’t hold water. We have to protest …and if we are gonna turn up for games at least make it known in unity that we are not happy. But that won’t happen because we are also part of that insanity cycle …doing the same thing but expecting different results. Arsenal is in bigger trouble not cos of wenger but because of a weak disorganised board that he will leave behind. They couldn’t plan a timely succession to lure a coach like klopp, pep, Diego cos they cant seem to think strategically cos if they did and wanted to keep wenger so much they would have moved him to another capacity in the club. Ask yourself this…why did David dein a strategic cofounder of the epl , our chairman, the man who brought wenger, leave arsenal and sell his shares to umusanov in frustration? ? That board couldn’t heed to his warning about the change in tide of the league the moment Chelsea got their sugar daddy….look at us now..apart from Leicester, for thexample past 10 years..trophy has been between mancity, Chelsea n man u.
There are better managers than me, I have no doubt. I just submitted my CV to Arsenal board and I will be treated just like the others. These being said, all board have to do is to approach these managers (which are better than me) and offer them a deal. They know what I ask so they have a starting point, how difficult can that be for them to make a decision?
Want Klopp? Allegri? Enrique? Jardim? Perfect, make them an offer. Who knows, maybe they (just like me) submitted their CV to the board. Should be easy to chose.
Alright mes filles, en avant! La finale du Emirates FA Cup nous attend! Just un petit obstacle maintenant.
I have seen changes in the world at my age, it’s really true to call for a change but sometimes most changes come out of pain and doesn’t bring bring intended results at the end of the tunnel, some most changes in different clubs have brought a quargmire situation of try and error in the managerial system. Change, we can not deny is vital since it gives room for true change in a long or shot term but the guarantee that instant change will not sink out favored boat like bring longtime pain is not certain. The trouble is, as a supporter will always talk, expect perfect results and if it doesn’t, you call for someone’s head but will never take a strategic step to change things. If thirsty for change comes with hatrade , it destroys everything. I reckon some just have pure hatrade and others are just desperate for real change without strings underneath. But Feg has a clear point of experience and we need not to dispise it; put your opinion but don’t dispise a point from experience.
What Wenger achieved is with the help of DAVID DEIN, when he had left arsenal ,arsenal hath not achieve any good thing. EVENT+RESPONSE-_-OUTCOME.. So Wenger+kroenke _-failure.
I rather finish 10th will a chance of winning the PL than 4th with no chance of winning the PL. With Wenger, we have no chance of winning the PL. Of course, if we sign Howe we also have no chance of winning the PL but why wold we sign how? A club like Arsenal in a city like London willing to pay 8 million surely should be able to attract Allegri of Jardim or Simeone?
The problem is this lot of jokers let all opportunities to sign top managers slip. We lost the chance at Klopp than we lost the chance at Pep it looks like we lost the chance at Allegri so who knows who they would manage to attract when Wenger leaves.
But holding onto to a manager who will not win you the PL because you don’t know if you get a worse one is silly.
And if you look at Chelsea and Real and Barca and Bayern and Juve than, yes, changing manager has proven successful.
Sir Alex is a Man Utd fan, so of course he wants Wenger to stay. Just like all the Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Man City fans want Wenger to stay as well.
The reason Man Utd had such a hard time after he left was (1) Ferguson is among, if not THE greatest club manager in football history, which is a tough act to follow for anybody, and (2) He chose David Moyes as his successor. Hahahaha…. David Moyes FFS!
Although Man Utd cannot be as successful post-Ferguson, they still attract players like Pogba and Zlatan, and have not become a “Selling” club. If the Wenger & Kroenke show continues, then Man Utd wil strengthen their squads with better players than Arsenal, and we will be in their shadow once again before long. And they might have another European trophy in the cabinet before next season kicks-off.
That’s why Man Utd fans have every right to be happier and more hopeful than us Gooners at the moment. When people like Alex Ferguson and Antonio Conte tell us they want Wenger to stay, and we should too, they are the last people that we should be listening to.
I think we must change the board first before we do for Wenger