Why does Wenger not simply jack it all in?

TotalArsenal

It cannot be much fun for Arsene at the moment.  In fact, how much fun has it been for him over the last seven years? Many will say, he is doing a job and is paid handsomely for it; so why should it be fun for him?

But Wenger is not the youngest anymore and managing Arsenal in these demanding and frustrating times is constantly taking its toll on him. He does not need to do it for the money, as all he does is watch footie at home anyway.

I have no doubt that Arsene could have managed any club over the last seven years. If he were to announce tomorrow he is leaving Arsenal, he would in no time be managing one of the Spanish giants, or any of the top Italian, German or English teams; with the only possible exception of MU.

If there is one question I would like to ask Arsene, it’s why he did not go somewhere with rich resources and the ability to build the team of his dreams; why he stuck with Arsenal despite the hardship he must have known he would be facing from the moment the build of Ashburton Grove began.

Having read many comments on several blogs regarding Arsene’s motivation to stay put at Arsenal, I know that opinions are strongly divided with regards to his reasons to do so. Many believe it is because of his loyalty towards the club: he simply did not want to leave us in the lurch, they say.

However, there are also many who believe that Arsene is not going anywhere else because he won’t get an easier job than he has at Arsenal. They believe that other top clubs would expect better results than Arsene has achieved in recent years – somewhat conveniently forgetting that Arsene had a very successful first nine years of his career at Arsenal.

I reckon there is more truth in the former than the latter argument, but more than that, I believe he has stayed at Arsenal for so long because he wants to leave something behind that will never be forgotten, and will make him immortal at our club – and in football in general. Arsenal is his life’s work and it is not finished yet. He is too old now to start another project of this scale.

That’s the only explanation I can give for him staying and putting up with all the abuse and stress he has to deal with on a constant basis. If he were to leave now nobody would begrudge him finishing his career at another top club with far better resources than Arsenal; and what would he have to lose? In the short term, he is more likely to win something again with Barcelona, Madrid, Bayern, Man City, Chelsea, etc.

By no means do I believe Arsene is flawless. There are plenty of characteristics and managerial/tactical decisions that irritate me and wish he would do differently. As a supporter I have the right to say that, but what I will always respect is that he is no quitter and keeps fighting for his job and for Arsenal.

I would have jacked it in years ago, and I wonder whether he will regret, say in ten years, that he did not move on a few years after Ashburton Grove was completed. Let’s hope he will not, and that despite having vastly inferior funds available for buying top of  the range players, and not being allowed to hold on to those he has nurtured to world-class levels – an absolute cry and shame – he will somehow help Arsenal to silverware again in the final part of his career.

If he manages to do so, he will indeed enter the realms of Arsenal and football immortality, and his mission will be complete. If he does not, he could finish a broken man.

Total Arsenal.

60 thoughts on “Why does Wenger not simply jack it all in?”

  • Great post TA, i agree it’s all about loyalty. He could demand the same pay if not more at other teams (PSG) yet stuck around to guide us through this lean period. Hat off to him because most would have turned and ran for the hills. Why risk your legacy by sticking around, when the same fans who loved you dearly now want to drive you out of town? He is optimistic and loves the club (he’s a stubborn bloke as well haha).
    Develop new tactics/variation and i’d be happy to see him at the helm until he’s 107

  • ‘Morning Oz’ – thanks for the video. What a goal hey? It is the sort of goal I used to daydream about when I was bored at school or work. One of the most ‘complex’ goals I have ever seen.

  • Hi TA, it’s past your bedtime!
    The technique, power, skill and whatever else needed to do that is just unreal. If i ever tried that 1 of 2 things would happen.

    1) land fully on my back knocking the air out of my lungs
    2) end up kicking the ball into my own head.

    He is a great player!

  • You are right there Oz. Had daughter off sick home today – am absolutely knackered. Enjoy your day and catch up with you ‘tomorrow’. With a bit of luck Herb and Henry will come out to play 😛

  • Morning all..
    TA.. nice post.. Hope your daughter will soon recovery..
    I agree with you that Wenger will never leave untill he bring us some trophies..

    Don’t need to worry about him.. Many club is waiting to sign him.. but I think he will choose France to end his career..

    I am an optimistic person.. I am sure this season we will have some trophies.. hehe.
    And I am sure that we will buy some good stuff to strenghten our squad.. and I don’t really care if they are all from france.. hehe.. as well as they fit with the team..

    Go gunners..

  • Morning all,

    Daughter was having a little cold, and just needed a lot of TLC 🙂

    Nice videos Oz. It has been a while since Arsene has had such genuine smiles on his face: it tells a story in itself.

    Hi Henry, France beat Italy last night in an away friendly, and after their draw against France, it looks like they are starting to get the best again out of their crop of players again. If Arsene can find us again gems like Henry, Vieira, Petit, etc, then we won’t be complaining! 😀

  • Morning TA and you other good people, 🙂

    Glad your daughter is just having one of those ailments that kids get, TA. You still can’t help worrying about them.

    Blooming great Post — and I hope you don’t mind me saying so, I wrote one on this very subject about 15 months ago, for another site (not AA), and came to much the same personal conclusion that you did.

    Arsene, in the last 12 years, could have managed almost any other ‘big’ club, other than Manure, and be paid much more than he has ever got at Arsenal.

    Those who complain that he stays for the money, or because it is an ‘easy’ job just reveal the sort of callow people they are, and judge an intelligent, decent man by their own low standards!

    It is only an opinion, But I think he has stayed because of a combination of loyalty to the club and the fans, a sense of wanting to achieve something lasting, without the artificial stimulus of obscene funding – quite the opposite – and also because of great pride in the club and himself!

  • Morning RA, I did not know you had written a post for a ‘third’ site a long time ago. Would love to read it! 🙂

    you summed it up very nicely in your last paragraph. 🙂

  • Quick international round-up:

    You all know about our English players (Jenks and Jack came on as subs and Jack made Ibrahimovic tumble over like a sack of spuds).

    Koz played whole game against Italy in a 1-2 away win. Giroud started as well and lasted 63 minutes but did not score. Good for both to be in a strong starting line-up.

    Mertesacker started against Holland in a boring 0-0 draw, but Per will be delighted to be associated with a clean sheet once more. Pod had 18 minutes as a sub.

    Vermaelen did not play, and as expected, neither did Szczesny (not even on the bench).

    Santi did not play – did he even travel?!

    GLIC’s Polish nephew, Gooner lost in Krakow (GLIK), scored an own goal – no surprise there (probably too busy looking in the mirror)! 😛

  • TA,

    I used to write, occasionally, for 3 other sites, long ago, but I did not like doing so even then. 🙂

    It is odd, but whereas you and Rocky, for example, write quite naturally in a footie way that other fans can relate to, (and I am interested in that and enjoy reading the Posts you both do so well), I just cannot bring myself to write in that style, but I am quite happy to ‘chat’ on a freeflow interchange during the day.

    This may be because any Post I write only takes me a few minutes, but the quality is not there, and I do not like putting up something which does not please me, or where others think I am being ‘educational’. 🙂 Yeuk!

  • Morning all BKers.

    I loved the videos Oz, fitting music, top drawer. I wish I could compile one, I think it is so clever. I have a bone to pick with you though Oz. I have lots to do today and you will get me in serious trouble as I probably will be watching them over and over again throughout the day. Wasn’t it nice to see Arsene with a smile on his face, ahhhhh those were the days. Let’s hope our boys can bring that grin back starting this Saturday. I still get a tingle down my spine when I see clips where we score, especially the ones against the Mancs.

    I would love to do a video to the song “I’m Alive” by Celine Dion. I listen to it and can visualise the clips I would like to put in. Perhaps one day.

  • Morning Vickers 🙂

    I am interested in your answer to the question in the title of today’s blog.

    Celine Dion?! WTF: You are a big softy! 🙂

  • Sorry VCC but if I have to suffer I’m dragging you down with me! It’s a curse, I’ll be studying away merrily but I need music! So I go to youtube but my recommended bar is full with Arsenal stuff. Next thing you know I’m watching complication of the whole team!

    The Arsene vids did send shivers down my spine too, the mrs laughs because i get goose bumps as well, but it can’t be helped…Arsenal are just that damn good!

    I too hope Arsene gets us back to winning ways, he deserves it more than anyone!

  • Oz,

    I forgot to commend you for your vids. Wonderful! 🙂

    You are the BK vid man and I love your taste in music, even though I am in my forties and normally am a classical music dude!!! 🙂

  • In person I would have been right there with you TA haha. Perhaps even cried a little in laughter. But VCC can’t be judged because he is older therefore does not know good music, but he has left so we can make fun of him!

  • Total….have an appointment at ten, so I will comment when I return.

    You are correct about me being a big softy. You want to see me when Luther Vandross comes on and sings “Dance with my Father”. I get through a box of tissues every time.

  • Hi VCC, 🙂

    You show us different sides of your personality with your comments, quite distinct from the image portrayed about you by that hole digging Glic — and I now think you are probably handsome to!! 😀

    Keep away from the Glicster, he is very, very naughty!!! 👿

  • Hey Oz, Im still here so I can hear you. At 62, I have a wide variety of music I like. The only genre I don’t particularly like is country music.

    Total, you want to see Le Mis. … Listen to Alphie Bow sing bring him home. You guys have no heart, lol.

  • Thank you RA, happy to share the video love. As the youngest BK’er I feel it is my duty to bring the technology with me haha. If VCC has a great video idea we have to wait for him to get up, use his zimmer frame, gently sit down at his desk, type the search in one finger at a time then use the maginying glass to find the search button. I on the other hand, with all my youthful exuberance can get it in a flash. Thus saving VCC from injuring his hip/knee and saving all of your precious time 😆

  • * magnifying

    My problem is i don’t proof read and can’t spell so you still have to suffer haha.

    quick he’s still here CHEESE IT!

  • Red Arse,,… It’s all a ploy by that dastardly GLiC, he is a scoundrel. His first words to me when we met two weeks ago was ” Boy, I wish my mirror looked like that”

    I’m off now, latterz.

  • Oz,

    Did you know that VCC was a famous gymnast in his youth and still works out for 3 hours everyday? he is lithe in the limb and with toned muscles — when you come over to visit the gang you had better make sure you have your running shoes on!! 😀

  • Oz, I have a mental image of Vickers hoovering the living room in a pink and white spotted dressing gown, brown leader sandals with white socks (red and blue lines at the top) and a sweat-band around his head with the word ‘cool’ on it, whilst belching it out to Dion’s heartbreakers! 😀

  • Vickers is so fit that his wife has the pleasure of seeing a solar eclipse more than once a day: Go and stand in front of that window again, Vickers, will you? 😛

  • got me there VCC, I’m always just too lazy to proof read. Read my lit review the other day, it was a last minute scramble so didn’t have time to proof read 20+ pages. I’m still scratching my head at how I not only got into one of the best schools in oz, but also their honours program.

    RA, that is impressive. But while VCC was wearing tights and doing cartwheels with a back handspring, triple tuck, and straddle dismount, I was crashing into players in Aussie Rules Football. But hey Kevin Bacon kicked that guys arse in Footloose so consider me keeping a distance haha

  • Morning Jack & Danny`s

    Great post Total. Hope the nippers ok.

    Arsene has shown the players how loyalty works, shame RiP didn`t get it.
    Arsene without doubt has given us the best of times, with that and his loyalty, he deserves my loyalty. Like you Total, sometimes he has me pulling my hair out ( immediately sent to Terry by cryogenic courier ) , but he deserves to be given every chance he needs and for as long as he wishes to stay.

    Gooner lost in Krakow ! hahaha

    Skippy`s Hampton ( hahaha ), are you going to do another one of them brilliant pre-matches on Saturday ?.

    (Hope this comes out) Surely this ( something the glic soothsayer predicted on AA before anyone had wind of it. hahaha ) has got to help our cause even more added to the FFP already implemented !.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20319573

  • ‘immediately sent to Terry by cryogenic courier’ bloody brilliant that is!!!!

    That I am GLIC, please send any hate mail to TA, because he is responsible for me writing posts of here. I warned him about it causing irreparable damage to the blog

  • hahaha VCC many moons ago.
    It`s no coincidence that he`s zimmer frame is a scaled down version of them bars in the first video ! hahaha

  • Fantastic Video – that is VCC in his dream – ‘I want to break free’ 😛

    Great article Glic – there is hope. Is your digger coming today?

  • What digger ?, I am the Digger ! hahaha There are 12 holes, all 600mm x 600mm x 500mm deep. It will all be done by hand (and spade hahaha) as will the concrete ( it`s cheaper than getting a mini-mix load in ). I`ll probably get in a digger for the trench for electrics and water though, as that is a long stretch to dig out by hand.

    Mr Timber Frame should be here in a minute, just to go over the plans. oops he`s here, laters.!.

  • Oz 09:52…….all that’s missing is my feather duster and sweat band……it’s a mans life, in my household….NOT.

    I did not know there were two versions of that video clip Oz, the other one is locked in my family album vault in the loft. That was back in day when I was nice and slim and agile. Now Im just a mere light year away from those days. But I have one saving grace……= I’m much better looking than GLiC.

  • I love the vids and the nonsense on here.

    It is a blessed release from the real world to go into the Glic in Wonderland and his Hall of mirrors!!

    Oz, don’t sell yourself short. Your pre-match posts so far have been brilliantly written!! 🙂

  • Total…..Arsene Wenger has almost performed miracles for Arsenal FC. He has been steadfast. determined, proud and even dogmatic with his desire to be successful for the club.

    He simply loves this club, even after all the negativity lately, you can see it is hurting a wee bit. I wish I could have a 30 minute chat with him down the boozer and ask him for the good of his health and the future for Arsenal, “Halve your work load and let Bouldie shoulder some responsibility”. No one can deny what he has done for this club (except maybe Herb, lol)

    But……I feel he has lost his mojo and knack slightly. Why not nurse Bouldie through the next few years with a view to going upstairs in the near future.

  • Red Arse……When GLiC was born the mid wife never slapped his arse, she slapped his Mother.

  • To call yourself 1 UMF is so quintessential British, VCC, and one of the main reason I like to live here so much! 🙂

    Fully agreed he lost his mojo a bit at the moment, and I also feel that if he is not capable of turning it round again in the next few months it might be time for somebody else to take over. However, we all have to take into account whether somebody else can do better than Wenger with the resources available, and our apparent inability to hold on to our self-nurtured top talent, and the oilers around. I wonder why Wenger would want to continue on that basis: surely he is looking at the BOD to give either more money or a guarantee that players will not be sold any more against his wish (from a football management point of view).

  • Wow, VCC, a deeply cerebral thought – thank you! 🙂 Prawns, eh, I might have garlic prawns as part of my tea tonight — can you come around and de-vein them for me? 😀

  • de-veining prawns – feck that sounds horrible. Just thinking of 1 UMF doing this in his pink and white dressing gown whilst listening to Celine Dion makes me want to throw up! 😦 😛

  • Lucky I triple checked, my length was out by 150mm….sorry Total…..6 inches !. hahaha

    Right, lets have a look at Redders post on AA. Right, anti-brain frazzle glasses on…check, Nuclear Dictionary…..check and Carol Vorderman….chic…..babe….f**k Redders, he can wait two minutes !……………………………………………………………………………….. See Carol, thats how I came up with the mathematical answer of 69 !.

    Now Carol give me a Continent………”Australia”……. down under again !
    Now give me a Vowel……….” I vowel to love you thy handsome bastard and have foursomes with your mirror “………..it`s the final countdown !.

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