The Arsene Weng-era is coming to an end. Even though most of us saw it coming, it still comes as a shock. It is a big moment in the history of the club and years from now you will still know where you were when you heard the news. I must admit that I felt elated with of course more than a tinge of sadness.
It is the best decision best for the club and the Man in Full that is Arsene Wenger. The secret of a long life is knowing when it is time to go, and it really is now time to let somebody else take over from the great man. Regardless of us potentially winning the UEFA League and thus still qualifying for the financially so attractive CL, which would be a big achievement for the club and the manager, to most of us it is clear that we need a new manager to take us forward.
The PL may not have all the best players of the world, but the best managers, give or take a couple, are leading our competitors on these shores. The lack of balance in the team resulting in poor defensive team performances, the number of PL games lost this season, our dismal performances away and the humiliating exit from this year’s FA competition, and of course our poor position in the PL table, meant that a change really had to happen this time round.
But let this not take away from Arsene’s enormous achievements in over a fifth of a century at the club. You all know the stats on Arsene’s silverware, and two things stand out to me: the 49 Unbeaten Invincibles and him winning the FA Cup a record-breaking seven times.
His biggest achievements, though, are the lasting shift in values, the (financial) stability of the club, our style of play and beauty of our game. This was based around a vision of how the game should be played – beautiful, winning football rather than calculated, safe winning football – and the hygiene factors required to bring this to fruition. From a classy, brilliant new stadium to excellent training facilities, and from new fitness regimes to attracting some of the best talents this country has ever had the privilege of watching week in week out, Arsene made a fundamental, long-lasting change to our club, and PL football in general.
With these achievements, Arsene will always be immortal at the club and for the fans. He is leaving a legacy behind on which the club can build further in a highly competitive environment, both home and in Europe. Arsene played a pivotal role in letting our club grow with the times, and now we have everything in place to compete even with the Oil-sponsored clubs in the PL and CL. Our biggest competitive advantages are our culture/values and strong ‘natural’ financial basis.
We as supporters, but also the BoD, have a duty to protect the values going forward, and I reckon we are in a very strong place right now thanks to Wenger.
And for that I say thank you Arsene.
Thank you for staying put and give your all to us for 22 years.
Thank you for the fabulous football and achievements, and for all those moments of delight and passion on the pitch.
Thank you for the legacy you have left behind.
You have become a Gooner for Eternity.
Now let’s end the season on a high by winning the UEFA Cup and add a big price to the Home of Football’s trophy cabinet. Manager, players, supporting staff and supporters should all unite now to give Arsene Wenger a great farewell.
By TotalArsenal.
Bergkampesque 
A nice tribute TA.
The end of an era deserves it’s own mark– to properly honor it historically.
In tribute to Arsene Wenger–
“Long live Arsenal.”
In the year of our Dennis, 1 A.W.
jw1
Speechless… 😦
But I’ll come around, I’m sure… 😉
Rude and raw awaking, 17ho. Help yourself to a strong coffee my friend.
Well said, Totes, and I agree with you.
I have said for a number of years now that AW should have stood down — probably 4 or 5 years ago,
That would have stopped him suffering the humiliation of planes flying over the Emirates demanding that he go, or thousands of fans not taking up their seats on match days, and the vile abuse he was subjected to by some fans.
In addition I wanted him to go, not for ‘hate’ reasons, but because everyone has their time in the sun, but eventually Old Man Time wields the scythe because he/she has run their course.
I have not enjoyed much of our football for the past 5 or 6 years, altho FA Cups were a brief joy, and AW should have taken the opportunity to go — anyway the dye has been cast and a new era is opening up before us.
Arsene was a great and innovative manager, and a very decent and honourable man, but business, and football is a business, does not award trophies for being a good man – so I will clap and cheer with everyone else when the Curtain finally comes down, but I will also feel it is before time.
Apologies — I meant the final sentence was negatory — “it is not before time” 🙂
TA is right, HT — if you don’t come around …. you will go around again! 😀
Well said, Redders. It is good to show respect and enormous appreciation for what Arsene has done but also feel excited about the beginning of a new era.
TA said everything that should have been said. It will be a strange feeling watching Arsenal with a new man in charge but I feel that Wenger made the right call. I hope BoD and Kroenke will do the same when it comes to picking a new man in charge.
There will be at least seven, maybe eight more games with Arsene in charge. The next one against West Ham should see full stadium and full support for the boys. Our last game of the season is either at Huddersfield – home of Herbert Chapman – or in Lyon, France, Wenger’s home country and country in which he has lost just one official game with Arsenal – Champions League Final 2006. Meaningful ending is guaranteed.
There is an advertisement in Croatia for “Merci” chocolate bars that says: “Merci is the most beautiful word for ‘thank you’.” So, as the official page said: “Merci Arsene”.
Now that he has bowed out, did he ever sin? I’d say no. He gave his all for 22 yrs, and understand it or not, we are better for it. He has run his race and history will stand him on the podium and adorn him with laurels.
The rose flower has it’s movement in time, but it’s bloom is the rose flower.
It’s been a journey Arsene and thanks for bringing us this far.
Well said Admir, and nice fact about Wenger only losing once in France with Arsenal.
Poetic stuff, PE. 🙂
JW1 – well done predicting the scenario that is now more or less unfolding. 🙂
The Guardian is providing a running feed of mostly* lofty tributes provided by Arsenal players (current and former), rival managers, colleagues, friends and such:
https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2018/apr/20/arsenal-announce-arsene-wenger-departure-live
jw1
* “mostly”, meaning Stuart Robson finds himself again unable to free his cranium from the clutches of his backside.
Appreciate the nod TA.
Even with the belief that it would occur as it appears?
Still, a flood of emotion that I’m wading through today.
Also wish to give you props TA– for this oasis, this gem of a site– which draws a fine cast of characters. Long-distance as it may be? BK’s Gooners make it a kindred community.
Thanks. Again.
jw1
Gazidis presser scheduled for 5pm.
jw1
Some people ‘niche’ themselves by being categorically negative, JW1. Best to ignore them at all times.
Thanks for the memories Arsene. What he did for the club is enormous. The past 4 years alone we got 3 FA Cups is a big achievement. Most importantly he was not British but was very loyal and honest to a British team. Thank you ARSENE!!!
TA, nice tribute to the great man. When you went a bit quiet in the last thread, I knew this was coming. 😉
Even Wenger’s biggest detractors will have no choice but to pay their respects.
Hah Eris, I was travelling when I heard the news. When I got home I wanted to write something meaningful.
OK, I’m ready to be more than “speechless”… It was a morning for skiing, I thought…but there was a wind that kept the snow more frozen than I’d have preferred. At least I got a good climb and the dog had a romp that will leave her horizontal for the rest of the day… It also gave me some time for some good thinking on the subject at hand, as well as some other things. For better or worse, April 20, is a day that has a bunch of meaning for me (personally) and now will have even more…
In fact, TA, if it’s OK by you, I might like to write a little tribute/personal history regarding Wenger. Your post is excellent, of course, and I’m glad that you (and all the rest who have wanted him gone–some for longer than others…) have exciting new things on your horizon. I’m not there yet, but you never know… I think it’s all about how I fell into the team. That was when the stadium was brand new and Kroenke was coming in as majority shareholder. Arsene was the face of the club more completely than anyone I’ve ever seen in ALL the sports I’ve watched. Impressive. Hell, he even changed his name to match that of the club. People don’t realize it, but he was christened as “Claude.” 😀 Now, if he moves on to replace Deschamps after the French national team is kicked to the curb (in Russia this summer)…he’ll have to change it to Frank or (preferably) Frankie… 😉
So, let me know… (I’ve even turned the espresso machine BACK ON–to fuel my thinking)… No worries if you just want to move on, however. (As always, I write for my own entertainment and to clarify my thoughts…) We’ve got WHU on Sunday (another early kickoff, argh…) and then that Ropy League stuff…
Props also to JW who called it… I’m still betting against Wenger taking on any continuing role at the club, however… And, I’m definitely not in line with your hoops predictions… more winkys..
Seventeenho, you are very welcome to write your tribute to Arsene. I was hoping you would offer to do it; you are BK’s biggest Arsene fan by a mile, so please go ahead. 🙂
HT–
I’ve got respect for the Warriors– they have won it twice (in 3 seasons) after all.
Though? I have even greater respect for Steve Kerr– who has learned his trade at the knee of both Stu Jackson and Greg Popovich. Kerr (a 7x NBA Champ as player and coach) has been immersed in winning cultures and learned from the very best– managing to translate it into his own style of coaching.
Somewhat similarly? Lineage with great managers, along with a requisite depth of intelligence? Leads me to believe Arsenal’s next manager will be Mikel Arteta.
======
(The Guardian)
There’s also this nugget from Le Prof on Thursday– shifting from Viera potentially managing at Arsenal, to (IMHO) a veiled reference toward Arteta:
“He’s a guy who has the potential one day, yes,” said Wenger. “I’ve followed his managerial career. I think he does very well. But he works in the moment in New York and he works for Man City. There are plenty of former players who played here who have potential and the intelligence and the knowledge to do it. So there’s plenty of choice, don’t worry for that.”
Mikel Arteta, currently Pep Guardiola’s right-hand man at Manchester City, is another former player and captain who has been linked.
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I’m of the mind it will be one more season before the club might bring in a ‘big name’ as a manager. In the interim, bringing in a lower-profile manager (with Arsenal DNA) like Arteta? Is a can’t-lose move. In a year? The club is more settled, with a wider choice of potential managers. Personnel decisions and contracts will have played themselves out, probably for the better. The backroom team has a chance to remake the team almost entirely without demands of a new big-name manager.
And that’s the worst-case scenario.
What if Mikel Arteta turns out to be brilliant?
jw1
Cheers, TA… It’s taking shape…though I still might need help with the photos…
D’oh…
JW, I agree about Arteta, so I won’t take that bet… 😉 (Also, that is very well put about Steve Kerr… though in basketball, I also believe that the VERY best players do some coaching of their own out there… Hence my boring, boring prediction of Dubs vs Cavs–or Steph vs BronBron… Then again, beards are more popular than ever…so maybe the best of them is doing some “leading” of his own… Regardless, it should be fun… In the meantime, I’m already worried about uni-brows… 😀 )
Change is always hard, desired or undesired, hard, hard, hard…
I saw it flash later evening on my Facebook feed from AFC…
Now, onto the wonder of wondering who’s next and how THAT goes…
Cheers — jgc
AW is one of the greatest managers that has graced the English premier league, He has done exceptionally well in his time, brought smiles to the faces of fans, He is the best Arsenal manager till date.
I am sad! I am sad not because I want him to leave or I do not want him to leave, but judging by the good things he has done for this club, including helping Arsenal to build a new stadium, He deserves a lot more praise and respect. But today, he is leaving arsenal with a tarnished Legacy.
I must also say that he single handedely brought this to himself. He would’ve left the club when the Ovation was still high. A lot of young people remember Wenger as a bad manager, especially the ones that didn’t meet when he was at his best.
I would say he lost it when he started focusing on the financial management of the club.
He stopped being proactive, both on and off the pitch, we manage a bad/weak position for years before he decides to do something about it, he became unnecessarily and negatively stingy with the clubs funds in buying players, he started lying to the fans, especially when it has to do with transfers, He refuses to buy quality players Sometimes even when they come cheap, He is now comfortable loosing matchs, He became negatively stubborn, He became a lot less competitive, He doesn’t like to have a big and quality squad, Above all, He has given Arsenal Fans more heartbreaks than joy/happiness in recent years.
Wenger on his own gradually destroyed his Legacy at arsenal.
I wish him well. Let’s see how it goes. First they should make the right appointment to move the club forward, my number one choice is Alegri, but I will also be OK with Jardim and Low.
Well Steve, your take on things ^^ aren’t quite the same as mine… And, I hope mine have been proof-read just a bit more… 😮
On that account, there’s a new post in the hopper, but, TA, if you could help me with the photos and maybe give it a glance (believe it or not, but there are some politics in there…) it would be much appreciated…
HT–
Yes. Sensing conflict in that post too.
In several instances, referencing AW as ‘He’ (capitalized pronoun); deifying Le Boss.
Another expresses destruction of other’s opinions– followed by well-wishing.
(Believe it or not, seems to be some religion in there…) 🙂
Maybe “3 Hail Dennises” and all will be forgiven?
Or a handful of Paxil.
jw1
I did a simul-comment and got buried in the last post.
This morning i read news about the names of Wenger’s replacement, and Enrique’s name got thrown into the mix. He better learn how to play Total Football rather than Barca’s tiki taka.
Jw1, definitely Hail Dennis and Hail Vieira.
That’s funny JW… Hmmm, a handful of Paxil… Speaking of such things, are you celebrating 4/20 yourself? Here’s the wiki for that reference… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/420_(cannabis_culture)#Origins
I personally don’t know the members of the Waldos but I bet I know some people who know them… 😉
Alas, those days are behind me… Just walking the tightrope between morning espresso and evening cocktails… Maybe tightrope isn’t quite right… Call it a slack-line, perhaps…
Speaking of slackers, it seems TA has cut his Friday night short…
OK, politics or not…now that my kid showed me how to move the pictures around…I’m posting…As I mention in the post, he DOES know everything…
Like Arsene, if the politics are too much, I’ll take the sack, or, preferably, be offered the opportunity to step down… All I demand is a similar severance package (that I’m betting the BoD has is in there for Wenger)…
So…Anyhow…
NEW POST
Fellow gooners,
A couple of months ago, I authored a passionate post about the necessity of “Change” at Arsenal this coming Summer. I half-expected it to happen but I was also fully prepared for Arsène to finish out his contract at the end of next season. Whether Arsène was pushed out or not (or maybe it was a mutual decision or Arsène’s own decision), is now irrelevant. And now that the biggest decision that Arsene and Arsenal could ever make regarding the future of Arsenal FC has been announced, I frankly don’t know what to feel or how to feel about it anymore. I surprisingly find myself very very conflicted. On one hand, I am excited about next season, about our new manager and what he will bring, and about the future of the Club once again. But on the other hand, I am very sad that we are losing the greatest manager we have ever had (and perhaps will ever have). I am sad that I won’t be seeing videos of him during pre-season. I am sad that I won’t be listening to his usual pre-match press conferences next season. I am sad that I won’t be seeing pictures of him during training sessions at London Colney. I am sad that I won’t have him around to drive me completely bonkers/crazy/nuts when discussing potential summer transfers. I am sad that I won’t seeing his little devilish grin when attempting to hide his excitement about a potential transfer of a World Class Superstar to the Club. I am sad that I won’t have him around to blame for any poor performance anymore 😉😉😁. I am sad that I won’t be seeing him sitting on the Arsenal bench fighting his big coat zipper or standing in the technical area berating the poor fourth official. But most of all, I am sad that the name “Arsene” will no longer be ushered when speaking about the present and future of the Arsenal FC. For a lot of supporters (myself included), Arsène Wenger is the only Arsenal Manager that we have ever know…
So please, kindly allow me to extend on behalf of all Arsène’s supporters as well as all his (growing list of) detractors, a very big heartfelt “THANK YOU” to Arsène Wenger for all that he has done and meant for Arsenal FC. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him. We will forever cherish and treasure all the memories, good and bad. The footballing philosophy and values that he passionately brought and instilled into the Club will forever be remembered, respected, and honored. I for one hope to see him manage again next season or the one after. This is not the end for him. I firmly believe that he will be the next manager of the French National Team (or maybe another national team. I do however think that he is done with the pressure and daily/weekly grind of club management) and if that happens, I wish him nothing but glowing success in his next endeavors.
Merci beaucoup pour tout, Arsène. Nous te sommes eternellement tres reconnaissants.
Now let’s all come together as one and push our team strongly to the finish line in the next few weeks, and more importantly, send Arsène Wenger off into the sunset with the best gift we could ever afford him now: the Europa League Trophy. I implore all the players to give way above their maximum to make this happen, from the first whistle to the last whistle. No more sleep-walking or daydreaming until the second half of a game, please!
🙏🏾 🙏🏾 🙏🏾