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Who would you have as Arsenal’s next boss?

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16 December, 2010 9:00 60 comments
Who would you have as Arsenal’s next boss?

Arsene: Would he ever consider quitting?

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So after witnessing another defeat at Old Trafford and earlier in the season at Stamford Bridge I have to ask myself are we really getting any closer to winning any major honours? And by that I mean the Premier and/or the Champions League.

And despite what the league table might read at the present time, I have to say no we're not. We can't defend at the back and we won't shoot at goal when a clear chance presents itself. There’s just this continual desire to walk the ball into the net, after you, no after you. Chelsea and Man Utd have sussed us out for quite a while now and the other teams in the League are on to us as well.

There will come a time - maybe sooner than we think - when Arsene Wenger will either wake up and see the light and spend big or on the other hand finally tire of defending his overpaid underachievers and decide to call it a day. And I know which one my money’s on.

So here's a topic of debate, if we get beaten by Chelsea (again) and torn apart by Real Madrid or Barca and Arsene calls it a day at Arsenal who would Gooners want to succeed him?

Sorry Ed, I know you're supposed to set the questions. I'm just curious that's all.

(Ed’s note – No problem. As we now have a comments facility, readers can either express that they are happy with Arsène for the long term or nominate candidates for the next Arsenal manager. My own view is that the only way there will be a change in the hotseat is when the current incumbent is carried away in a wooden casket, but life is full of surprises)

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60
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  1. Dave Gooner

    Dec 20, 2010, 17:06 #412

    I would love to see arsenal legend Tony Adams as our next manager. He has previous premier league and european experience and would make a great replacement for the legend that is Arsene Wenger!

  2. Dec 20, 2010, 14:59 #410

    Guus Hiddink.

  3. alan

    Dec 18, 2010, 13:44 #383

    Why do we always have this rubbish about Wenger being the most successful Arsenal manager, Heerbert Chapman was - he won 5 league titles! George Graham won one less league title than Wenger but he did not have the large amounts of money to spend that Wenger has and before people say that Wenger works on a shoestring just look at the money he has spent - and all too often wasted.It needs to be accepted thaty Wenger is not a great manager - he has won nothing without George Graham's defence because he does not understand that football is a team game. He thinks that if you fill the team with limp wristed midfield players that is all that is required. I think that because the board is so enamoured of Wenger he will stay as long as he likes and that he will have a large say in who the next manager is - no doubt a Frenchman! Mourinho is a winner and might be ideal: it would be nice to have a Briton, possibly Coyle but let me throw a strange name into the list - Graham Rix.

  4. onekeown

    Dec 18, 2010, 10:41 #378

    Joachim Low

  5. gary f

    Dec 17, 2010, 22:37 #357

    ian holloway

  6. Loyal Supporter

    Dec 17, 2010, 14:46 #353

    Offer me Wenger for another 10 and I'd bite your hand off. Some of us Gooners have memories longer than Goldfish

  7. Bob

    Dec 17, 2010, 14:45 #352

    My first choice would be Jose Mourinho. I believe we need a change of manager, and have done so for three years. I would however love to know whether the lack of spending on proven quality is because of the manager's King Canute-like stubborn insistence that his post-invincibles 'project' can work, or because the Board haven't accepted the need to invest to win things in the modern era. If it's the latter, then even the greatest replacement for Wenger couldn't hope to get us back to the top.

  8. Graham Yates

    Dec 17, 2010, 14:28 #351

    Just read this quote from Arsenal Secretary David Miles, after the CL Draw. “Lionel Messi is obviously one of the quality players in Europe and manager Arsene Wenger will have done his homework. He is their main danger man.” Trust me, homework is not what Wenger does, at all, ever. If he had any idea about winning this trophy he would respect all opposition and beat them by doing some homework. Man Utd did it to us Monday and have been doing to us for years as Fergie knows how to beat us. Wenger is irresponsible with the way we are set up considering where Arsenal are as a great club. Defending isn’t a dirty word, it’s as valid as attacking, and even a true art, one which he has thrown to the dogs. We will win the EPL in the next 3 seasons only because the other teams will gradually weaken while we just stay where we are. Come 2014, lets hope the board, if we have won nothing, make him work for his next contract or be gone. Remember George Graham won us 2 titles, Wenger has only delivered 3! He could be our greatest manager but with his last 5 years he isn't yet. He will also get first say on who replaces him as he will be on the board by then. But paradoxically it will probably be a masterstroke!

  9. BIG OLD DAVE

    Dec 17, 2010, 12:31 #348

    I should get the job, I can forward my championship/football manager save games as a good indication of where i can take the club. This is the man that got barnet into the champions league. Yeah baby....

  10. gooner571

    Dec 16, 2010, 22:35 #341

    the dreamer in me says Guardiola.The realist says Coyle or Martin O neill

  11. apl

    Dec 16, 2010, 22:09 #339

    I wouldn't be surprised by an internal successor - just like Liverpool after Shankley. Liam Brady is the man.

  12. dan

    Dec 16, 2010, 21:03 #338

    for me it has to be steve bould.he has got experience in what sort of football we want to play i also feel he would add that steal we lack at the back if he was to take over.

  13. Wombledin

    Dec 16, 2010, 20:15 #337

    Wenger won't quit. He has it far too cushy at this Club, where he has been told by Hill-Wood that he has a "job for life." The fat cats love him and as long as the $$$ keep rolling in, he won't go. He will only get sacked if we finish outside the top four, and that is very unlikely to happen this season. So this speculation is mostly pointless.

  14. Max

    Dec 16, 2010, 19:41 #336

    I want Arsene to stay untill I'm pushing thirty - and that's a good decade away! The Gooner is basically a Totts rag nowadays - never a good word in it. I agree there's problems, but for god's sake!

  15. adam evenden

    Dec 16, 2010, 18:29 #332

    we should not let wenger leave, he needs a new assistant because Pat Rice has no experience of modern defending (playing) so Tony Adams Steve Bould or Martin Keown for some new ideas

  16. GunnerWhoLikesSpurs

    Dec 16, 2010, 17:41 #331

    Harry Redknapp I know, you all wanna kill me now. Thing is, right now he's making Spurs play the way we wish Arsenal would (going forward, at least. And in their 'f**k you' attitude towards the big teams) He'd need a good assistant to teach the team how to defend (cos the Spurs defense sucks almost as much as we do right now) Maybe Adams? Ok, the firing squad can let rip now

  17. Ebrahim

    Dec 16, 2010, 16:53 #330

    Guus Hiddink

  18. John in Horsham

    Dec 16, 2010, 16:35 #328

    Arsene to stay in charge for this season and next, and then to bring in Martin Keown or Steve Bould for 2011-12 as his assistant and eventual successor.

  19. Nekuhan

    Dec 16, 2010, 16:27 #327

    Gus Hiddink, no question about.

  20. Daniel.

    Dec 16, 2010, 14:21 #324

    I would like Pep Guardiola. He knows how to play the beautiful game and seems to be getting upset at all of the politics involved at Barca. It would mean Cesc would be with us for a good few more years and he would be able to attract some of the best players in the world to us. We need to strengthen the squad with quality not more bit part squad players.

  21. jayanta

    Dec 16, 2010, 13:47 #323

    For Gunnergetcha, Let me first admit that I consider that no other manager could have deliver what AW has done with this bunch of player. That has not served arsenal cause. Why Arsenal didn't have quality GK, striker and DM since invincible. Who will take the blame. AW finnaly conceeded that Almunia is not good enough but why did he allow him to continue and cost points. Why we don't have proper striker since TH. Why no quality defence since invincible era. Don't tell me Arsenal suffers from shortage of fund. Arsenal football income is 3rd in EPL, very close to 2nd place Chelsea. We have reduced Emirates debt to 130 M, what was so hurry to clear off debt. How much money is lost from world wide promotion and Tv revenue due to poor performance. It could be anywhere between 20 - 40 million per year for 5 years. He should have changed course 2 years back when it was clear that we need strengthening, may be he needs more time to realise that probabaly after all the supporter including you do realise so.

  22. iqbal

    Dec 16, 2010, 13:39 #321

    Dennis Bergkamp is the man!

  23. nugs

    Dec 16, 2010, 13:30 #320

    agreed he is virtualy untouchable, he helps make our club so much money! and it seems thats his and the boards priority, i think it needs the fans to stop attending home games to get our point across unfortunately i can't see this happening.

  24. TJ

    Dec 16, 2010, 13:29 #319

    AW nowhas the best job in world football - no real pressure and only to finish in the champ lge spaces and turn a profit on transfers! Guardiola for me - and the Cesc would prob stay and see out his long term deal! We can but dream.......

  25. BenW

    Dec 16, 2010, 12:48 #317

    Has to be The Special One. At least he'd spend some money!

  26. mark from Aylesbury

    Dec 16, 2010, 12:42 #316

    Got a sneaky feeling that we may be already thinking of Owen Coyle with Wenger being moved up stairs

  27. gunnergetcha

    Dec 16, 2010, 12:24 #315

    Gus!! all the way. saying that, im not like the muppets wanting arsene's head on a stick for being second so far. their is no manager in the world that can do to any club what arsene has done in his time with the budget he has. he has PHW and the board, others have a russian or an american or some oil rich mofo. count yourselves lucky gunners. stop calling for wengers head when he is the master that every club would love to have. can work magic with any player. doesnt need 4billion per player. if anything go the rest of the clubs in the EPL for slowly ruining our game with quick fixes that only serves to bankrupt clubs. stop your bitching and get back on board you muppets. go LE PROF!!!! go you GUNNERS!!!!!!! (Ralphonso. when wenger is ready to stand down, and only then, GOD would be the bomb dude. Bergkamp is arsenal forever. best ive seen in my 40 years mate. yeah we, even i could name 20 other players as good as the iceman, but he had everything. class. skill. technique. vision. confidence. and most of all humility. something the stars of today dont. (rooney, Ronaldo, Outthebarndoor, cashley, balotelli, etc.etc.etc.

  28. Jayanta

    Dec 16, 2010, 11:25 #314

    We should bring Bergkemp and Tony Adam or Keown pair, If Pep Gourdila can deliver we should not be afraid of trying those giants of Arsenal.

  29. oldgooner

    Dec 16, 2010, 11:11 #311

    Whose team is playing great football ? Who is English ? Ian Holloway. No chance but I would love to see him given a chance with a big club.

  30. jbenson

    Dec 16, 2010, 11:10 #310

    i tink martin o'niel will do the job perfectly.he managed villa very with little or no resource.

  31. Call of Duty

    Dec 16, 2010, 10:42 #308

    If Guardiola doesn't sign his Barca extension then he is number 1 choice. Hiddink number 2 choice. Van Gaal number 3 choice. Has won the CL (unlike AW), has won league titles in the last 3 years (unlike Wenger) and he is very tactically strong (the opposite of Wenger then) and disciplines players. Laurent Blanc the current France manager is a very bright young manager, his contract with the French ain't long, and I know he hates Diaby. Top man. Didier Deschamps the Marseille coach is an excellent shout. Marseille hadn't won a league title for 18 years until he took over, nwo they won the league, and he's given them CL football for 2 seasons running. Bergkamp won't get the job as HE CANNOT FLY (kinda defeats the purpose of flying with your team to CL games etc) There are LOTS of alternatives, the only thing that is certain is that this shit cannot continue. People might think there is no way Wenger will be sacked but believe me, if people stop paying for overpriced £100 tickets, and the board noticed a constantly half-empty Emirates then something would be done about this. I stopped paying for any matches on my ST and just leave my seat empty as a sign of how disgusted I am with Wenger and the board. If other people stopped paying, hit them IN THE POCKET where it hurts, then something would be done duoble-quick. But the more you line their pockets, then the more you are legitmising what these arseholes are doing.

  32. Mike Hennessy

    Dec 16, 2010, 10:39 #307

    Owen Coyle is impressing at Bolton...

  33. tom

    Dec 16, 2010, 10:31 #306

    Owen Coyle if we want a British manager a few years down the line. His teams always play good football and know how to mix it up, they overachieve and the players want to play for him. Just look at the result against blackburn and his history with wilshere.

  34. Tim the Guildford Gooner

    Dec 16, 2010, 10:22 #304

    Keep Wenger,retire Pat Rice and get George Graham as assistant manager.That way we will have the best of both worlds of football.

  35. Andy

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:45 #300

    It has to be Hiddink given the way he turned the Chavs around a couple of years ago but it's all hypothetical as there is no way he will quit and the board are too spineless to sack, i really feel now that if he doesn't do something soon he will be in danger of undoing all his years of hard work with the fans

  36. stevus

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:44 #299

    Steve Bould but with an experienced assistant - someone like Terry Burton, the current No2 at Cardiff City.

  37. Judith Le'Strange

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:39 #298

    If Wenger were to be sacked (doubtful) or were to resign (possibility) then how about Mourinho, I know he's arrogant etc but he's a very good manager and I think it's what Arsenal need is a manager who doesn't just stand on the touchline waving his arms around, but who can actually motivate his players to push forward and not stand back when they're one goal up and think we can rest on our laurels.

  38. Smith14

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:38 #297

    First things first, I don't want Wenger out. Secondly, even if we lose to Chelsea and go out in the next round of the CL, I still don't want him out. If he did go however, I'd want Jogi Low to take over.

  39. drew10

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:33 #295

    This is going to get me laughed off the page! Whilst I would love Guus Hiddink I think that we should move for Owen Coyle. He is young would be relatively inexpensive and is not able to get average players to play great football. He plays good fast flowing attractive football but his players also have passion. He would be the man for me.

  40. gunnergetcha

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:26 #293

    Gus!! all the way. saying that, im not like the muppets wanting arsene's head on a stick for being second so far. their is no manager in the world that can do to any club what arsene has done in his time with the budget he has. he has PHW and the board, others have a russian or an american or some oil rich mofo. count yourselves lucky gunners. stop calling for wengers head when he is the master that every club would love to have. can work magic with any player. doesnt need 4billion per player. if anything go the rest of the clubs in the EPL for slowly ruining our game with quick fixes that only serves to bankrupt clubs. stop your bitching and get back on board you muppets. go LE PROF!!!! go you GUNNERS!!!!!!! (Ralphonso. when wenger is ready to stand down, and only then, GOD would be the bomb dude. Bergkamp is arsenal forever. best ive seen in my 40 years mate. yeah we, even i could name 20 other players as good as the iceman, but he had everything. class. skill. technique. vision. confidence. and most of all humility. something the stars of today dont. (rooney, Ronaldo, Outthebarndoor, cashley, balotelli, etc.etc.etc.

  41. Dan

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:21 #292

    Hiddink would be the best choice, likes to play football but also tactically astute

  42. Easty

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:16 #288

    Steve Bould

  43. aj

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:14 #287

    I would like Van Gaal.Hiddink would do a good job.The problem is we've not introduced any younger coaches so there is not going to be seamless transition. Ed- I think Wenger will walk at some point in the next year or two.He's looking jaded and deeply frustrated.Compare him now to when he first came.When he finally accepts that this team cannot acheive his targets he will step down. What's strange is that his refusal to address some basic problems has led to his frustration.It's almost a bizarre masochism.

  44. wing

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:11 #286

    I tell u what, with you so-called "SUPPORTERS"' way of SUPPORTING Arsenal and our manager, whoever be our next boss, you would be calling his head before the new boss even gets to spell A-R-S-E-N-A-L. If, the most successful Arsenal manager of all time, the man who's the reason so many the so-called Arsenal SUPPORTERS started supporting Arsenal at the first place... If, the manager who's currently guiding us as the only team still remain in all 4 competitions, and currently SECOND in the league... a manager like that is being called for his sacking by the so-called Arsenal SUPPORTERS, what chance do you believe a new manager has?

  45. GoonerRon

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:09 #285

    I honestly don't see Wenger voluntarily leaving before the end of his contract and I definitely can't see the current board sacking him before his contract ends either. For me there are three options: 1) We win some trophies in the next two or three seasons and Wenger sees another golden era and signs what will probably be his final contract extension. 2) We don't win anything in the next 3 years and Wenger and the board decide to call it day by mutual consent at the end of his current contract. 3) We get taken over by Usmanov or someone else and they want to bring their own man in so Wenger get the boot. Number 1 option all the way for me.

  46. Vish

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:04 #283

    I think Tony Adams will solve the purpose if he joins AW as his back room staff.He is more than able to Solve the Defence problem we have and may after some years he can take the reigns from AW.

  47. Ani

    Dec 16, 2010, 9:03 #282

    If arsene refuses to realise d problems or arsenal, which i think he knws, but he's jst being stubborn, then he has to b replaced. But d fact remains that he has planted a tradition of attractive football,so d new guy must b capable of delivering that. I'll say Frank Rykard

  48. Bruce

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:58 #280

    Di Mateo

  49. Gordon

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:52 #278

    Bring in the proven Special One Mourinho!

  50. DeeTees

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:51 #277

    Anyone but Maclaren or Allardyce. Current favourite for me would be Martin O'Neill. He has achieved great things with barely any resources at his disposal. He also has incredible enthusiasm.

  51. Leptuski

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:50 #276

    Pepe Guordiola (but of course that that's wishful thinking)!

  52. Chris in Abu Dhabi

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:47 #275

    Capello

  53. chris

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:46 #274

    Joachim Low, Marco Van Basten, Guardiola

  54. Askhat

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:42 #273

    Arsenal's next manager Laurent Blanc after Euro 2012!

  55. Iwalwa Kaloli

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:33 #272

    Please let us not forget were AW found Arsenal and how far i has taken the team,and please know that there are few teams if any which can build a stadium and continue competing at the same level season in season out like Arsenal.AW shd continue to manage the GUNNERS. Thanks

  56. Daniel.

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:25 #269

    I would like Pep Guardiola. He knows how to play the beautiful game and seems to be getting upset at all of the politics involved at Barca. It would mean Cesc would be with us for a good few more years and he would be able to attract some of the best players in the world to us. We need to strengthen the squad with quality not more bit part squad players.

  57. Dev

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:24 #268

    Gus Hiddink initially to steady the ship and then move for Pep if he is available

  58. Warzski

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:22 #267

    Guardiola

  59. andrew

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:17 #266

    arsene will never wake up,and the board wil never sack him. pointless to blog about it really didnt arsene says on the arsenal.com if the club is making he is doing his job.enough said money before trophies

  60. Ralphonso

    Dec 16, 2010, 8:02 #265

    There is only one man who will take over from Wenger. When he's good and ready, Bergkamp is the man!