All season we have been aware that this could be Arsene Wenger’s final campaign in charge of Arsenal. The Frenchman has dropped plenty of hints, but has remained coy on a final decision as to whether he will stay or go. The jury is out amongst the fans, with the overwhelming majority seeming to want Wenger gone at the end of the season. But what about the players?
Like in the minds of the Arsenal fans, this is an issue that has surely been thought about by probably every player at the club, I think it would be wrong to assume otherwise. It is difficult to get away from the media attention surrounding Wenger’s situation and so it is going to have crossed the minds of the players. Although this will most likely refrain from talking about it, I’m sure they have all made up their minds as to whether they think Wenger should go, will go and whether they’d like to continue playing for Arsenal if there is no change.
Wenger has been a big part of all the current crop of players, he’s brought them all in and for some of the youngsters, and even the more experienced Arsenal players like Walcott, Ramsey and Koscielny, Wenger is the only manager that they have had at Arsenal during their long Gunners’ careers. Players like Szczesny, Wilshere and Ramsey have all said in the past how important Wenger has been in their careers, whilst the likes of Alexis, Ozil, the latter especially, have quoted upon joining the club, that Arsene Wenger was a big factor of their decision. There is no denying that these players think a lot of Arsene Wenger, as do the fans for what he has done for the club, but I do wonder as to whether they have thought about what his future should hold for next season.
For some players like Alexis, Wenger’s decision could be pivotal in the Chilean’s own future. If there is no change for Wenger at Arsenal, then Alexis could think it’s time to move on. On the flip-side of the scale, Mesut Ozil could feel it is also time to move on, if Arsene Wenger does leave. Ozil has stated in the past his admiration of Wenger and much like the reports that surround Bellerin’s future and whether he’d go to Barcelona, a lot of it seems to depend on whether Arsene Wenger remains in charge of Arsenal Football Club or not.
It is going to be a very interesting, yet challenging, last few month this season, but when the end of May does come around, all that has been decided or is yet to be decided regarding Arsene Wenger, will become clear.
By AH