Lana Baxter
As the end of the 2016/2017 football season loomed there was still much debate as to whether beleaguered Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger would live to see another; despite serving as the Gunners’ manager for a record-breaking 21 years, his welcome appeared to be wearing out – and fast. Indeed, notwithstanding Arsenal’s thirteenth FA Cup win or Wenger’s achievement as most successful manager in history, many pundits and fans were expecting his contract to come to an end with the close of the season. Despite fans’ disquiet, though, a new, two-year deal was brokered. Wenger now has until 2019 to prove he still has what it takes to lead his team to glory.
Striking a new deal
It would appear that Arsene Wenger’s latest contract hinged upon his team’s performance during the latter stages of the FA Cup; Wenger was in the midst of crisis, with fans and players losing confidence and patience. As late as April there was confusion in Arsenal’s camp as to whether Arsene would be leading his team any longer, while former striker Ian Wright had sown the seeds of doubt during a BBC Five Live interview in February, when he said, “I get the impression that that’s it. He looks tired. I feel that he will go at the end of the season.”
However, club bosses seemed reluctant to let their manager go, while the man himself described retiring as, “for the young.” So, would disgruntled fans force him out instead? As luck would have it, Arsenal stormed to victory in the FA Cup, and on the 31st May, the official word came. Wenger would indeed remain Arsenal’s manager until 2019, although with a new structure in place. According to sources, Arsene Wenger’s position is subject to talks with a so-called director of football, who will lead discussions regarding transfers and strategies. The manager has been philosophical about the move, perhaps aware of the struggles he’s faced, and will continue to experience. This move should appease angry fans – at least for the time being.
Reactions to Wenger’s appointment
In a poll conducted by BBC Sport, 58% of its readers agreed that Wenger’s reappointment was a wise move by club bosses. This is in spite of the results of a poll carried out at the tail end of the football season, which showed 78% of fans wanted Arsene Wenger to leave; talk about conflicting opinions! The Arsenal boss has faced unprecedented levels of anger during this season, as the team finished the Premier League in its lowest finishing position since 1996. The Gunners’ failure to qualify for the Champions League can’t have helped either. Indeed, there has been talk that the shake-up behind Wenger’s reappointment is solely to appease fans. Reactions on social media have been extreme, to say the least; described as ‘inflammatory’, reports of the manager’s renewed contract have divided fans and lit up Twitter and Facebook. Good, bad, and ugly, all fans appears to be in agreement that now is the time to make the best of the situation and get behind their team.
Arsene Wenger may have secured his place in football’s Hall of Fame with his seventh FA Cup win, but the 67-year-old Frenchman has a long way to go before he can convince fans, pundits, and even players that he’s the best person for this sought-after position. What happens at the end of his next contract is anyone’s guess; his continued appointment as manager will no doubt hinge on the Gunners’ success in the 2017/18 season and beyond. When it comes to football everyone’s a critic, and Wenger must be prepared to face his with a steely determination – heaven knows he should be used to it by now.
