The Premier League’s longest-serving manager
Arsene Wenger has come under increasing pressure at Arsenal and with his
contract at the Emirates set to expire next year, the club’s fans have
issued a call for the club to hold off renewal talks.Meanwhile, Gunners legend Tony Adams
has put himself forward as a possible candidate to replace the French
boss. Whilst it seems unlikely that the board, chief executive Ivan
Gazidis or owner Stan Kroenke would rock the boat by allowing Wenger to
be sacked or to leave at the end of his deal, it is food for thought –
who would the fans want to replace him? Tony Adams is one of the club’s most valued servants – he spent his entire career at Arsenal
from the age of 14 until the age of 36 when he retired in 2002. He
along with Martin Keown, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn and current
assistant manager Steve Bould were considered the finest defenders the
in the country and certainly best Arsenal have ever had in a backline protecting goalkeeper David Seaman. The Dutch ace made a total of 423 appearances and scored 120 goals for the Gunners in his 11 seasons and Arsene Wenger once described him as the most intelligent footballer he had ever had the pleasure of working with. What Wenger achieved with Arsenal (discounting the last eight
years) was success in terms of trophies and titles but it was the style
and the elegance of the football that won hearts across the world.
Arsenal is now a huge global brand and Arsene Wenger’s football
philosophy is a large part of that brand image – I would suspect that if
a former defender and an English one like Tony Adams took over, that
style and elegance would change and perhaps even be lost.
Meanwhile, Bergkamp, now 44, is understudying former Netherlands
teammate Frank de Boer as his assistant manager over at Ajax. The Dutch
have always been held in high esteem on the international stage and Ajax
on the continent for their flair and elegance – ‘total football’.
I would suspect, due to Bergkamp’s position at Ajax and his
subsequent suitability for the position, that he would be a better
replacement for a manager as unique as Arsene Wenger.
I imagine that Bergkamp would be the most obvious replacement and
would make the transition more natural than if a club legend like Adams
took charge. Adams is a fans’ favourite, he loves the club dearly, he
spent his life at Arsenal but I don’t believe he has the relevant
credentials that Bergkamp does.
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