Feeling resigned, Arsene Wenger’s time is up

Arsene Wenger, manager of Arsenal FC for the past 18 years, is facing some difficult times with a string of bad results in recent weeks. - Reuters pic, November 25, 2014.Being a long-time follower of English football, I would have to give due credit to Arsene Wenger for what he has done for Arsenal.

It is no mean feat, what he has achieved over these past 18 years. He officially joined The Gunners in October 1996.

In his first season (1996-97) in the Premier League, he went from "Arsene who?" to within three goals of taking Arsenal to the Champions League for the first time.

We ended in third place, behind runners-up Newcastle United, but at the time only the top two English teams were given a spot in the top tier European club competition.

He built his team with a core of the English players he inherited, the legendary Dennis Bergkamp and a few amazing young talents he brought from France – Patrick Vieira, Emmanuel Petit and Nicolas Anelka.

Changing the way the team played, Wenger made Arsenal the most beautiful-to-watch team in England and duly won the Premiership in his first full season (1997-98) in charge.

In the first half of his Arsenal years, Wenger helped extend the playing careers of some veterans at the club, by virtue of a change in diet, training regime and off-pitch lifestyles.

This was key as he revolutionised the game in stodgy old Arsenal by introducing more fluidity, style and quality on the pitch.

He also helped draw millions of new football fans to The Gunners with the free-flowing style and some world-class players representing the club.

However, too many fans are obsessed with instant success and just winning trophies in this day and age where satellite TV telecasts compounds the pain in watching your team lose just one match, let alone two or three back-to-back, despite there being other teams doing worse overall.

The irony for Wenger is that he set such high expectations (and high standards too, with the previous bunch of players) in his first nine years in charge (1996-2005), that the next nine have been a disappointment, despite entering the UEFA Champions League final in 2006, the Carling Cup final (twice, 2007 and 2011), and setting a consistent rate of never finishing outside the top four in every year of his career at Arsenal.

Oh yes, and despite finally winning a trophy last season, in the FA Cup final in May.

He certainly is stubborn over the issue of not having a Plan B in his team's formation and style of play. He would not doubt that criticism.

However, when Plan A has won three titles (two of which were doubles, winning the title and the FA Cup in the same season), five FA Cups, and led The Gunners to Champions League football every year without fail since 1998. . .  can one really blame him?

I used to think it was the quality of players that was the main cause of any "failure" on his part. The current batch has a few weak links, compared with those who wore the famous red-and-white during the highly-successful trophy years under Wenger's reign.

For all of Wenger's attributes and values, he doesn't help his case with the seeming lack of tactics and hesitancy to make changes on the pitch sooner than later, when it is obvious things are not going well.

He used to say little to criticise players openly, but of late I notice even that is not taboo anymore.

I do realise that not enough respect and appreciation is accorded him considering his contributions to the club and the game in general. But that's a generational thing I suppose.

The recent results, notwithstanding the injuries to a few key players, have been one of the most frustrating even for supporters like me, who have been backing him for so long.

Many times I have wished that Wenger would get some professional PR help. But I think it is all too late now, so I have taken the liberty of coming out with a press release and a special announcement on his behalf.

Arsene Wenger: "Let's move on"

I wish to address all Arsenal fans, and especially to address their many comments and questions in the aftermath of our two recent defeats – to Swansea City and last Saturday, to Manchester United – as well as the 3-3 draw which felt like a defeat against Anderlecht in the Champions League two weeks ago.

I personally feel that there is no point in listening to all supporters' comments, let alone acting on them, because it is easy to contradict anyone after the match is over, and the result is known.

As we all know, hindsight is 20-20 vision, and I would never be able to have my players playing the way I want them to play, with beautiful passing and the entertaining football that true football fans enjoy, if I were to listen to everyone else.

We have won many but lost few, so I know I have been doing the right thing all these years. Winning trophies is not all that football is about. Even then, I have won a good number in my 18 years with Arsenal.

I have done what I had to do, and have no regrets. But it is time to move on. Not just to the next game, but also for the next season.

So, I now wish to relinquish my post as head coach and manager at Arsenal Football Club. I am giving due notice so as to allow the board to find a replacement before the upcoming January transfer window.

I may move up to a Director of Football position at the club. That way I can still be active in the scouting and development of players and the youth team in particular.

I think it is better for the club. I will also help the new manager on player transfers, like how my friend David Dein used to help me, and like how Ivan Gazidis has supported me too in recent years.

I believe that "footballistically", I would be able to support the club and the new man at the helm better than anyone on the board.

I also do not believe that the club should ever change our policy on buying older players or offering only 1-year contract extensions to players over the age of 30. This is simply because there must be believe in the youngsters whom we have developed over the years, and will continue to develop for many more years to come.

The players at Arsenal understand that no one is irreplaceable and I feel the same way about my career as manager of this great club too.

My only wish now is that all Arsenal supporters around the world would have the same belief that I have for the players.

Finally, I would like to say thank you to the beloved supporters and the media for your continued support to THE ARSENAL – November 25, 2014.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.