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Fans split over Arsene Wenger despite Lee Dixon's plea to keep the faith
James Olley20 May 2009
Lee Dixon's impassioned defence of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in yesterday's London Evening Standard prompted fierce debate on our website.
The Gunners boss is thought to be considering ending his 12-year association with the club in the wake of hostile criticism from a section of supporters, carping that climaxed with aggressive questioning of his methods at last week's shareholders' meeting.
Wenger has transformed Arsenal into one of the Premier League's most feared teams while reshaping the club from top to bottom and inspiring the move to Emirates Stadium.
His sides are synonymous with free-flowing attacking football but four trophyless seasons have raised concerns the 59-year-old may be losing his touch.
Some argue that the club are going backwards, the current crop of youngsters are not good enough and Wenger's refusal to spend heavily is causing Arsenal to lose ground on Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.
With Real Madrid courting his services, is it now time for Wenger to move on before his contract expires in 2011? Here's a taste of what you thought . . .
Anyone even suggesting that Arsene should leave has a problem. He has done so much for the club and can continue to do much more. We are competing with teams with more financial clout than us, yet can still match them with a younger team, who can only get better.
Adam, A True Lifelong Arsenal Fan, Islington
Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea are £1.6billion in debt and having to re-gear their financing - do you really want to end up like Leeds? Wenger has changed the culture of the club, new training facilities, new ground and complete football. If you don't like it, become a fair-weather fan and support Man U or Liverpool.
Alan West, London England
Wenger won't leave. He's not a contract-breaker. However, if he's going to wind down the last couple of years of his contract by serving us up more of what we've had the last couple of years then he should perhaps go now.
The big question is : Does he have the funds or not ? As season ticket holders spending thousands on our tickets, surely we are entitled to know this before renewing our tickets.
Mike Perry, Dartford
Arsene Wenger upset because some of the fans have been having a pop at him? After winning nothing for four years, continually buying cheap central defenders who are not good enough, continually buying cheap midfielders who are too young to play in the Premiership? Arsene Wenger upset? He's lucky to still have a job.
Harry Jones, Barnet
I agree with Lee Dixon - it is well out of order to treat the manager in this way. This new breed of Arsenal supporter is a lot different to the Highbury crowd - my guess is that many of the real local supporters mainly working class have been priced out of the stadium by the high ticket prices.
Jim Ex-Pat, Thailand
Maybe Arsenal fans should simply stop EXPECTING to win trophies? Arsenal have no divine right to win trophies because they are a big club, just as Newcastle have no divine right to remain in the Premier League because they are a big club. If you continually change managers then you may well end up like Newcastle - who have gotten through so many managers in the last 10 years. Be careful what you wish for.
Paul R, London
Reader views (7)
Name me one top defender arsene has brought to the club, sol campbell was for free and gallas in a swap deal with a top class defender. I dont agree to the wenger out brigade because arsenal will crumble for a number of years before it finds it's feet again, but why do they have to be french speaking. Ferguson is scottish but i dont see scots playing in the heart of his defence and vidic only cost 7million pounds and what a collosus he' become. Arsene needs to look to the balkans for men who can defend and play later.If we are not conceding goals on a regular basis in crucial games the rest of the team will perform.How come silvestre was let go by ferguson and wenger snaps him up,it beggars belief a manc reject playing in the heart of our defence. I really hope the heart ofour defence is sortedfor next season because even we as human beigns know if the heart aint right danger lurks regarding our health well the same applies tp wenger and arsenal.
- Victor Solomon, london, 22/05/2009 17:36
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Unbeleivable, Arsene Wenger has consistently been the second best manager in the prem since it began. This reminds me of when I heard an Everton fan saying that they should sack Moyes because "he's taken us as far as we can go" total garbage! Man U went through a barren spell during the Mourinho years while we put a new team in place - it takes time to rebuild - have some faith in your own clearly brilliant manager!
- Tony Manu, Manchester, 20/05/2009 17:15
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Jacco - Please read what I write, it merely explains my view off the situation at Arsenal. I would still very much like to see Usmanov, Dein & Mourinho at Arsenal. However, I would not get rid of Wenger to replace him with 'twitch' Rednapp or anybody other than a top class manager.
- Rob Gooner, North London, 20/05/2009 16:11
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I agree with -J. Either the Board should come clean and tell everybody what the transfer budget is, or Wenger should categorically state that he has funds but prefers to rely on the players he has. This is what the fans are frustrated about, seeing second rate players like Denilson, Eboue, Bendtner, Adebayor, Silvestre, Song etc not performing at the level thats ever going to challenge the top teams. Mr. Wenger should take these viewpoints on board and not be so sensitive. Without fan's opinions the game would be sterile indeed.
- Mike Perry, Dartford, 20/05/2009 15:04
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is this the same Rob Gooner who last week stated that it was time for Wenger to go and the club neede new fresh ideas and to cash in on their stars...you change your tune very quickly and often mate...make your mind up
- Jacco, west london, 20/05/2009 13:47
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J - From what I understand Arsenal have plenty of funds, if Wenger wants to use them. However, he has two obvious agendas.. 1) To use the fact that Arsenal are 'supposedly' stretched financially to enable them to secure players at a relatively reasonable cost & to pay sensible wages - Keith Edelman was fast tracked out of Arsenal shortly after stating that if Wenger needed funds £100 million was available. 2) He wants to see if his experiment, to bring through a generation of young players brought up through the Arsenal youth system will bear fruit. This appears to be working to some extent, although my feelings are that in order to push the top teams, as a general rule, the players are not fully ready until around 24 years of age, which leaves most of the young players not quite ready & as we have already seen, some wont make the grade in any event. If this policy does work then the next wave are already on their way. The youth team have performed superbly this season, so well that next season expect Wilshere, Ramsey, Coquellin & Emmauel-Thomas to join the first team squad. As far as finances are concerned Arsenal are superbly run & have an easily managable debt for financing the stadium, which has been eaten away by funds received from property sales. It must also be remembered that Wenger has a degree in ecomonics & believes that football clubs should be run in responsible business like fashion.
- Rob Gooner, North London, 20/05/2009 12:29
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As said before, does he have the funds or not? The Arsenal board are using Wenger as a scapegoat. His 'hands are tied'by the board while they continue to charge high ticket prices for what? The board need to come clean and admit that they made a hash of the financials of moving to the Emirates. What's happening at Arsenal is not blameless, but its not Wenger's fault. Come clean Arsenal board!
- J, north london, 20/05/2009 10:22
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