Arsene Wenger - A Gentleman?

Chong

I was watching Sky Sports News tonight, and they were interviewing Arsene.

Something struck me as I was watching it he just comes off as a genuine good bloke. I also recall recently seeing him do an interview with Fergie at an LMA awards do and he seems to have a good humor about him despite his dour demeanor generally.

He has done wonders at Arsenal, alright fair enough its been a couple seasons since they have won the league but man he has a incredible eye for youth players and really believes in building a team from the ground up.

He can get wrong sometimes when it comes to seeing decisions but most managers do , he will defend the indefensible.

Anyone agree?

Btw I am United Fan

mayordenis

100% agree.

Neil3030

I'd lump Wenger in with O'Neill and Benitez as the gentlemen of the league. Fergie and Mourinho (when was in the EPL) would be by far and away the pups. Villa fan btw.

Highsider

Nice guy's come last

Chong

Neil3030 wrote: »

I'd lump Wenger in with O'Neill and Benitez as the gentlemen of the league. Fergie and Mourinho (when was in the EPL) would be by far and away the pups. Villa fan btw.

Yes I too respect Rafa another good bloke on the face of it. I also believe Luiz Scolari is good bloke, and takes no nonsense from the press.

Royale with Cheese

Scolari is hilarious, his interviews are always good.

mayordenis

Highsider wrote: »

Nice guy's come last

I'm a nice guy and I cum last if that's what you mean, it's called stamina bitch.

Thanx 4 The Fish

Highsider wrote: »

Nice guy's come last

Just like Lance armstrong.

Chong

Thanx 4 The Fish wrote: »

Just like Lance armstrong.

And he has just returned too!

Mr.Nice Guy

I think Arsene Wenger is a great manager and seems like a good guy too. I don't like the lengths he goes to defend his players and the whole 'I didn't see it' stuff but overall I'd agree he's a gentleman. I think most of the managers are gentlemen and I'd include Benitez in that even though I didn't like his recent comments.

I know some people will say Fergie is not one but I would disagree. Quick story for you. Back in the days when United used to do friendlies in Ireland with Shelbourne, a friend of my fathers was given the chance to meet the United squad after the game with his son who was about 8. His son's favourite player was Schmeichel but apparently Schmeichel was having an off day as he basically brushed the kid off when he met him. Afterwards Fergie asked how things went and my dad's friend mentioned what had happened. 'Leave it to me' says Fergie. Next thing Schmeichel comes out all smiles and offering to be in some photographs. Don't mess with the boss. My dad's friend was singing Fergie's praises.

Of all the Premier League managers the only ones I find dislikeable at the minute are Phil Brown and Harry Redknapp. Brown's whingeing is unbelievable and Redknapp's attitude in recent times has disappointed me.

Chong

I really have gone off Harry aswell, his criticism of Darren Bent recently was horrible.

Frisbee

A Gentleman and a Scholar.

I really couldn't think of any other manager I'd want in the Arsenal hot seat right now...

V9

Always struck me as a gent tbh, well spoken and intelligent.

eagle eye

He comes across as a gentleman in the media, and its fair to say he has very good manners.

But when a match is in progress he does not seem at all gentlemanly if you follow me. He has a ruthless streak in him, which you require to be a successful manager. This ruthless streak extends to his management of the club with the buying and selling of players.

I'm not running the guy down, I have great respect for him and his sides always play beautiful football. Its getting to the stage that Arsenal have to win something again though and its tough for the Arsenal fans. The older ones remember the boring boring George Graham Arsenal which was very successful but horrible to watch and they love the football that they get to watch now. However success has always been the priority at Arsenal and if Wenger does not win something again shortly, then its going to be a choice of taking away the beautiful game and replacing Wenger or keeping Wenger and risking no success. I'd personally keep him and take the chance.

One more thing, I've noticed how happy Arsene seems in all those interviews and sometimes I wonder if the pressure is off at the moment as the club builds its funds again after its move to the Emirates. I have a feeling that there is not that much money in the coffers right now. I remember David Hill-Wood saying last summer that if Arsene wanted 30 mill to buy a player he could have it, but I just wonder if thats really the case.

OPENROAD

eagle eye wrote: »

One more thing, I've noticed how happy Arsene seems in all those interviews and sometimes I wonder if the pressure is off at the moment as the club builds its funds again after its move to the Emirates. I have a feeling that there is not that much money in the coffers right now. I remember David Hill-Wood saying last summer that if Arsene wanted 30 mill to buy a player he could have it, but I just wonder if thats really the case.

Peter Hill Wood though I think the quote about Arsene having any player he wanted came from Danny Fizman.

Thing with Arsene Wenger is that you have to remember he has a Masters degree in economics and as such you get the impression that when it comes to money he is always going to be very astute and will always take into account the Economic climate. I think it is very likely Arsene could have spent up to 30 million in total if he wanted to last summer our accounts suggest that this was roughly the figure of spare cash available but with the worsening economic climate he chose not to and it is the reason why the club will not push the boat out for Arshavin. Arsenes philosophy at the club has always been spend the money the club has created from Football i.e Match day money, tv rights, sponsorship. For the long term interests of the club, think this is the right approach to take.

cson

His Economics degree means he runs the club as a business first and a football club second. The two have conflicting goals, the former to turn a profit and the latter to win as many trophies as possible. Of course we know you have to splash out a bit to go that extra mile in the quest for trophies. Having said that, I honestly do think he's the only person out there that could have brought the level of success he has to to club. I have no doubt in my mind we'd just be another Everton/Villa/Spurs (with the greatest respect to those clubs) without Arsene.

The club is infintely better for his being there no matter what anyone says.

keane2097

cson wrote: »

His Economics degree means he runs the club as a business first and a football club second. The two have conflicting goals, the former to turn a profit and the latter to win as many trophies as possible. Of course we know you have to splash out a bit to go that extra mile in the quest for trophies. Having said that, I honestly do think he's the only person out there that could have brought the level of success he has to to club. I have no doubt in my mind we'd just be another Everton/Villa/Spurs (with the greatest respect to those clubs) without Arsene.

The club is infintely better for his being there no matter what anyone says.

Winning trophies is the only way for a club to turn a profit in the long term - saying they're conflicting interests is nonsense.

noodler

As long as Arsenal win he is.

RoundTower

Arsene's been a gentleman this year? I'm sorry, I didn't see it.

Kiith

Anyone who refuses to shake another managers hand after a match not a gentleman.

eagle eye

keane2097 wrote: »

Winning trophies is the only way for a club to turn a profit in the long term - saying they're conflicting interests is nonsense.

In this day and age, finishing in the top four in the PL and making use of finishing in that position by being relatively successful without winning the CL is much more important than winning domestic trophies, in a monetary sense.

You don't have to win trophies anymore to turn a profit.

YDMHSSB

yep, id have him at shels or united

weemcd

I admire the man greatly, looking at the amount of money he's spent over the years it's an absolute miracle he's had the success he's had. A great footballing mind, an eye for talent, and a passion for how the game should be played.

In saying that though, he is sometimes a victim of his own convictions, in not spending he can come across as defiant and stubborn, when perhaps he should stengthen his squad.

Another way to look at though, is that in this current climate, arsenal are a massively profitable club with an excellent stadium, attacking young & gifted players without much debt to service, while clubs like my own (utd) seem to be spending like there is no tomorrow, arsenal may just have the last laugh, in being a truly self sufficient club without the need for cash injections in the long run they may come out on top while the debt creeps up on the giants and makes them crumble. Leeds utd anyone?

keane2097

eagle eye wrote: »

In this day and age, finishing in the top four in the PL and making use of finishing in that position by being relatively successful without winning the CL is much more important than winning domestic trophies, in a monetary sense.

You don't have to win trophies anymore to turn a profit.

Ok well there's a slight case of nit-picking here.

The argument is that for a club to be successful financially they must be successful on the pitch - two things another poster claimed were at odds earlier.

leninbenjamin

everything i've read about the man suggests to me he is a manic depressive, sometimes he seems like a really nice bloke, other days he seems to be someone who'd happily slit your throat if you turned your back on him.

I think though in recent years he's been dealing with it better which is why we are seeing the nice bloke more and more often.

Charlie

Some would say a voyeur tbh.

Wreck

Charlie wrote: »

Some would say a voyeur tbh.

Care to explain that?

cson

keane2097 wrote: »

Winning trophies is the only way for a club to turn a profit in the long term - saying they're conflicting interests is nonsense.

That post right there is nonsense.

Take a gander at the balance sheets of Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool and get back to me.


@Wreck: Thats a comment Mourinho made about Wenger after Wenger was criticising Chelsea's transfer policy or somesuch, Mourinho likened Wenger to a voyeur with a telescope looking in at them or some ****e like that.

Hank Scorpio

the man is extremely passionate

a moment that strikes me is when fabregas scored that goal vs ac milan away

when they all grouped together it was an amazing spectacle

I wouldnt blame him for that pardew incident either, pardew practically danced in his face