“I am someone who likes to move around a lot, but I also like a challenge. I’ve been a prisoner of my own challenge at times.”
But that doesn’t mean he regrets the whole of his time at Arsenal. Surely he should be immensely proud of his achievements in the first epoch at Highbury before we moved to the Emirates and the budgets were cut drastically. As Nigel Winterburn said: “He had a burning desire in his first period, from 1996 to 2006 – I can’t see any player or supporter not being in awe of what Arsene Wenger was doing,” he said.
“After that, when we moved to the new stadium, he had this obsession of trying to get Arsenal back to where he believed they should be and maybe he is talking about that period.
“In his own mind he felt he was still capable of producing the teams that would go on and bring titles back.
“There were almost two different periods for Arsene Wenger and it was certainly a different period when he came into the new stadium.”
No matter how many Arsenal fans were certain that he had overstayed his welcome in the last few years, none of us can criticise the great things he did for the club in the first decade. Let’s look at the trophies won in that time…
Premier League: 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04
FA Cup: 1997–98, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2004–05
After the move to the Emirates things went awry for a long time, but he still managed 3 FA cups, which is a lot more than many other clubs I could mention, but my point is that we should celebrate his first ten years, and we can regret (along with Wenger) that he didn’t move on when things started to go downhill….
Sam P
Even when the man himself states that he should have left the club many years ago his admirers wish if he could live for a thousand years just to manage arsenal and torture the majority of the fans who wanted him out. There was no wisdom or sacrifice on his part for staying so long as he did, just pure greed and selfishness.
Am sure you never had a chance to watch arsenal in 2004.
Trust me, I did. I also had the chance to watch the 8-2, 5-1 and rival fans singing “Wenger we want you to stay”.
say what you like about wenger, he gave us good football and trophies for ten years and then he built us a new stadium which will last 100 years or more and kept us in the champions league for 20 years running. He may have outstayed his welcome in the end but great managers stand out through time and he is one of them now can we get on supporting unai and co.
you cannot blame AW for staying too long he was too comfortable and also the same with some players, why would you leave a cushy job earning 8M a year without real expectation on your solders, it was the job of the board or the owners to make him aware his slipping and move up or move out ten years ago, i totally understand AW because i’m in a similar situation doing a job for far too long without outside forces to push me and without much success for over a decade and surviving for years just living on my reputation ( in case your wondering i wasn’t a financial burden on anyone but my self )
No i’m not Jose Mourinho 🙂
Tink henceforth much need to be made bout unai emeryz quotes, ffs, wenger is gone, its a new dawn, ion wano b reminded bout the horrible end to his reign nd how it brot d club so down, and a laughing stock all round d world. Can we fans move on and lets dwell in dis beutifull euphoria Emery seems to b creating.
Wenger did amazing things for us, and English football. I was just watching highlights from 04-05, when we beat Everton 7-0 at home, and it got me thinking about the entertainment side of things. The TV companies loved showing us because we were box office, in even defeat! The way we played, really had a profound effect in raising the profile of the English league to such an extent, that’s it’s now the most popular, and competitive league in the world.
Wenger did overstay his welcome for far to long, and the entertainment side of things had practically disappeared (unless you’re into sideways football, and not shooting).
I’ll always say that’s it’s a very mixed bag when looking at Wenger’s entire Arsenal career, but he’s still is an Arsenal legend, and a legend of English football. I just hope he retires now, and relaxes!
totally agree
Loved the 7-0 it was my last game at Highbury before emigrating to Australia, was like a goodbye present from Arsenal. Remember Everton had just got into champions league, crowd were singing “champions league your having a laugh” classic.
Billy, I hope you’ve made a successful happy life in Australia for you and your family. Great place to live and visit!
Arsene Wenger is probably arguing that he should have left Arsenal to pursue his managerial career elsewhere, because Arsenal held him back.
OZZIEGUNNER I am surprised with your post.
You are normally fair and reasonable in your responses, but never mocking.
Where have you seen Wenger’probably arguing that Arsenal held him back’?
Surely this was an honest statement about his thoughts and nothing other than that?
Ken, just my interpretation reading between the lines. I, like anyone can be wrong, but i just get frustrated by the constant references to all the managerial jobs Arsene Wenger passed up to stay at Arsenal. Life’s what it is, he stayed and was well remunerated for his services running interference for Kroenke.
Thirdman….
I completely agree, very well said!
Especially this;
“The TV companies loved showing us because we were box office, in even defeat! The way we played, really had a profound effect in raising the profile of the English league to such an extent, that’s it’s now the most popular, and competitive league in the world.”
We would lose a game and one would still be proud of the performance…still wondering what suddenly went wrong that caused the sudden change in fortunes
ThirdmanJW, just as I have with Ackshay, can I acknowledge the post you have sent at11 58?
Sums up the man himself in such a precise and accurate way.
Debating will always cause disagreement as you and I know only too well!
Silly as it sounds,yours and Ackshays posts have really made my day…. THANKS!!
I am still not confident about our team. We are really dead
just saw that l’pool hv agreed a fee with roma dor allison 66m
we spend 70 m on like 5 players..
I know that feeling watching them signing but i doubt they won’t sell someone to recover some money. liverpool got a huge 112m transfer kitty boost last season so
2017/18 they made a small profit despite spending 151m and this summer they already spent 112m with 0 sales. 112m + alisson 66m means they spent 178m, where the hell are they getting all that money ? don’t be surprised to see a star player like mane or salah leave before the end of the window.
without CL i expect us to spend 40m less than liverpool which is our closest comparable rival. Right now its 112m Liverpool and 70m Arsenal which is about right but the 66m alisson deal will blow us out of the water.
Money doesn’t mean a thing
All hail the wing wizard Kingsley Coman!!,he is coming to the Emirates…..Coman to arrive soon for a deal of 40m upwards.. Joy and nothing but joy!!!
With Robben and Ribery in the twilight of there
careers I just cant fathom BM shipping out one
of the most promising young wingers on the
planet. The Bavarian giants are renowned for
there astute transfer business and would NEVER
move along such a highly thought of player
simply to make a short term profit.
This transfer imho has less than a 0% chance of
happening
They have Gnabry
I have been wenger out during his last years but his statement echoes my frustrations among others that he simply could not let us go despite feeling that he was not good for us anymore. For all the things we criticise him loving arsenal too much was his biggest downfall. Its like that epic love relationship that’s dead but you don’t want to quit. Its bold,true and humble of him to admit it which is not surprising given his reputation.
Ackshay, you and I have crossed swords on quite a few occasions regarding our ex manager.
I would like to thank you for your considered opinions of Arsene Wenger’s time as our manager.
I believe you have encapsulated his time and legacy in a fitting post.
As supporters of our famous club, it’s time to unite under Emery and it seems that most of us have moved on.
Thanks again for putting into words what I struggled to do on many occasions.
No one cares old man
Ks-gunner, never met you, don’t know how old you are and not sure if you even support Arsenal.
Is that what you say to your father when he tries to explain something? No one cares old man?
I have a 4 year old great grandson and to him YOU are an old man, and I believe he already has more intelligence than you.
The other difference is he will be brought up to respect people young or old male or female and whatever religious persuasion.
What a shame your parents failed so miserably with you, unless of course you did it all by yourself .
Somehow I don’t think you have the intelligence to even know what respect means.
I would suggest that you read about Wenger’s history within the club, but you obviously haven’t got the brain power to absorb just what he contributed over the 22 years of service.
Just read what Ackshay and ThirdmanJW have written as an example of what I mean.
Both not Wenger men, but respectful of his views and achievements.
One day you might just realise how insulting that throwaway comment you posted is, but I doubt you will ever rise to that level of intelligence.
Even after the fans rants, he kept his cool, rubbished off the haters and stayed to collect his fat paycheck. What is he regretting now? Or is it the cohesion and winning spirit kept him attached to Arsenal? ???
I guess your referring to the three doubles, seven cup wins, twenty years of top four finishes and twenty years of CL football, plus the Invincibles of course?
That must be the cohesion and winning spirit you are referring to, guess I have answered my own question!!
As you know, that’s something no other premier league manager can match, even AF said to go through a season unbeaten was an impossibility, but he was wrong of course and the Invincibles are part of our clubs magnificent history.
But you knew that of course, just worth reminding ourselves as we move in to the exciting Emery era.
Really hope he becomes more successful than Wenger, because that means the club is too.
In Emery we trust and hope he earns his fat paycheck as well.
Now outside of the Arsenal situation, he can see his errors, really takes a big man to admit the errors in his ways, got caught up with the power given to him, but there is always a beginning and there will always be an end.
Thank you
To be accurate, Wenger said he regretted staying for 22 years. He did not say he regretted all/ most / or even any specific one of those years. I wanted him gone years before he finaly did BUT I also like the truth and to state he regretted all his 22 years is something he never said, never meant AND should NOT be falsely accused of having said. ACCURACY is so important, unless you care nothing about the ACTUAL truth.
Wengar has been a good man ,carrying arsenal on his shoulder..he sells our top players to fund our stadium project and still manages to keep us @d top level. I think arsenal used wengar.because those time real and oda top european giant came calling unto his service he knw 4another coach to step in would spoil the transformative process ..we fans suffered with him too, we always kept believing in him .he has done wel and has ained well ..i love him ,so looking faword to mr ”emry” era ..up gunners/a gunner 4reva.
At the end of the day he gave it his all.. it wasn’t enough towards the end, but I’m thankful for all he did. It’s going to seem really strange next season, with him not being there!
I like what Emery has done so far.. I hope we have a successful first season under him. I’m pretty sure Arsene will keep his eye on every game, as he said he’s a fan just like us!
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As someone calling for him to go since 2011 It’s only fair to acknowledge an amazing first decade and an indifferent subsequent 3 to 4 years albeit with episodic moments of hope of a turnaround … But after the loss to Birmingham it was clear his time was up but he hung in there doggedly pretending 4th place was like a winners medal and fa cup was just as good as CL … Sad became pathetic with bendtner giroud sonogo et al epitomising the downgrade… Now it’s time to hope that emery will recover something of what wenger gave us in his first decade
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Well done Ken1945 for putting that idiot in his place.
ks-Gunner
Hang your head in shame
Thanks for 3 PL trophies, 7 FA Cups and 7 community shields, the invincibles and 1 CL final.
But his last 13 years was a nightmare for except for 3 fa cups
His no defensive midfielder philosophy cost us big time. Emery knew that immediately. That’s why Torreira was one of his first signings
You can’t win the PL without a very good defensive midfielder or box2box cm who has good defensive skills
Wenger is gone,I say “Good riddance” now let’s focus on the coming season
Let’s move on and focus on the coming season. Wenger era has gone.