Despite their recent poor form, and failure to mount a serious Premier League challenge in years Arsenal are still one of the most well respected and supported clubs around the world. This, by and large, is down to one man – Arsene Wenger.
It has been difficult for some supporters to accept the decline at Arsenal, going from the invincibles, to a consistent, occasionally threatening top 4 side. Supporters have often blamed the board for not investing more money into the squad. However, an increasingly louder and louder faction is turning on the Frenchman, who they believe has reached a glass ceiling in the modern game. This culminated in planned ‘Wenger out’ march outside last weekends FA Cup tie at home to Lincoln.
Surely Arsenal’s most successful manager ever deserves more respect than this? This is the man who has kept Arsenal in the top 4 for the past 20+ seasons, whilst developing a beautiful playing style, a culture they are sure to maintain even after Wenger has left the club. The football they play now is a long way from the George Graham ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ era.
If Wenger was to leave Arsenal they would need a strong replacement to replace such a big name. But when you look at the list of realistic replacements, you are not exactly blown away. Many of the top managers have recently moved clubs, or are well settled at their current one. After next years world cup in Russia there is likely to be a number of top coaches available, Germany’s Joachim Low could be an option should he leave his post after the tournament.
One thing is for sure, no Gooner wants Arsenal to go the way of United after the reign of Sir Alex Ferguson. The Red Devils dropped off massively and have had to spend vast sums of money to drag themselves back up the league. Arsenal don’t have the same amount of money at their disposal to regain momentum should they face some lean years, the transition between Wenger and his replacement needs to be carefully managed.
The pressure of following the consistent Wenger in the most competitive league in the world could be telling. If it goes wrong then this could seriously affect Arsenal’s ability to attract and keep hold of top players like Ozil and Sanchez.
It may be that Arsenal are just a few top class players from returning to the summit of English football, rather than a change in manager. A couple of high profile signings could really change the complexion for Arsenal next season. Wenger gives the Gunners stability, the supporters need to back their man until a strong replacement is available and the club is ready for him to go.