Henry and Gallas divided over Wenger By Sylvester Kwentua
Two former Arsenal players have added their voice to the debate currently going in the world of football. The topic on everybody’s mouth right now is “Should Arsene Wenger resign as coach of Arsenal?”
Thierry Henry does not believe Arsene Wenger has to leave Arsenal for them to win the Premier League, but says the manager must address his side’s mentality problems. This is what ESPN reported him as saying, when asked what he thinks the problem is: “I don’t think Arsene has to leave. Should he change his tactics and his way of doing things? I don’t know. But what he must do there is mental work. The tactics help, but what I saw against Chelsea is a mental problem. This is not easy to manage. The problem is more mental than quality. Because if Leicester can win the championship… For now, it is true that they are missing something. Statistics are there to prove that.” What is that something special? I think every football fan knows the answer.
William Gallas also gave his opinion and had this to say, according to a report in the Sun: “Maybe it is time to change something at the end of the season,” the ex-Arsenal defender said. “We can’t forget what he did for the club. He did a very, very good job, so sometimes you can’t sack the manager like this. You have to respect the manager.
“That is why I said at the end of the season maybe the board has to speak with Arsene and try to find a solution.” What solutions are our dear Gallas talking about? I also think we all know the solution.
Now my take. According to Thierry Henry, the major problem with this squad is the case of mental weakness and he feels we need to work on that, or else we will keep on losing games to top teams. Now, the question I wish to ask is, if a world class coach can’t impact the mental toughness in his team, who will? Wenger has been coach of Arsenal for 20 years now and he should have got a formula to instill the mental toughness in his team. Alex Ferguson coached Man United for a long period of time and everybody saw his imprint on his team. Watching a team play is just like watching how the manager thinks. If your team keeps on playing as if they feel inferior to other teams, then I think the coach has to work on his own mentality. Wenger is too old to change his style but he is not too old to take a walk and allow a young coach who has the mental toughness to instill in the team, to take over.
So, I think William Gallas was actually right by saying the board has to speak to Wenger and try to find a solution, at the end of the season. The only feasible solution here is for Arsene Wenger to resign as coach of Arsenal before he becomes the ridicule of football. Am I too harsh on him, fellow Gooners?
Sylvester