Arsene Wenger was never just a manager to me
It is true; I also thought that Arsenal was named after Arsene Wenger. Maybe that says something about how iconic he is, or maybe it's just the similarity in the name. Either way, it was a match made in heaven. His arrival seemed inevitable.
Growing up, Wenger was my hero. I always viewed him as someone quite nurturing, a father figure, or maybe a grandad given the age gap. He felt and still feels like home. I’m sure Manchester United fans feel similarly about Fergie, possibly stronger, as he dominated for a longer period. But when a manager stays at a club for that long, he stops being just a manager and becomes part of the Club’s identity.
I remember watching the 2014 FA Cup final in my living room. Our trophy drought had finally ended, and one of my favourite players, a fellow Welshie, Aaron Ramsey, scored the winner in extra time. I was truly on top of the world.
I’d be lying if I said that I remember the Invincibles; I don’t. But the stories from family who were there made it feel magical. My dad still tells me how Wenger announced in a press conference that he was aiming to go unbeaten. It became headline news, and my dad thought the gaffer had gone mad.
After three Premier Leagues and seven FA Cups, the tide began to turn. #WengerOut started trending, and it made me sad. I'm not saying I thought his time wasn't coming to an end. But fans who once sang "there's only one Arsène Wenger" were now hurling insults, and I couldn't go that far. I understood the frustration. Was he past his prime? Sure. But would I call him a [bleep]? Not really.
It was a reminder of how quickly football changes. The person you once admired can become the person you blame.
For me, Wenger is a reminder of resilience. After the move from Highbury in 2006, he said Arsenal had "lost their soul". He wasn't wrong. The club had a debt to pay off after the Emirates, and he sold many of our best players to keep Arsenal afloat. Arsenal's bullets were firing away from N5, yet Wenger somehow found a way to reload every season. We still finished in the top four in most years, but the days of consistently challenging for titles were gone.
His time ended in 2018, and some argue he overstayed his welcome. Even so, his legacy shouldn't be tainted. He was an innovator, one of one. Mourinho once called him a "specialist in failure". I'd say he was a specialist in resilience. He had the integrity and dignity to carry that burden quietly and never threw the club under the bus. That's a man I will always love and respect.
His circumstances should always be taken into account in the latter years at the club, and hindsight, considering the recent news about Manchester City, should allow fans to appreciate the sacrifices he made at Arsenal.
Even as professors, it takes a while for students to learn their lesson. El Profesor, Arsène Wenger. It has been thirty years since you took over, and your legacy will never die.
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