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Players' tribute to decade of glory under boss Arsene
How Wengers' genius took Gunners from boring to brilliant
ARSENAL’s most successful ever manager Arsene Wenger celebrates ten years in charge of the club today (Thursday).
And after watching his side cruise to victory against Porto in the Champion’s League on Wednesday night, three players have paid tribute to the “unique” achievements of the man they call Le Professeur.
Captain Thierry Henry, Wenger’s prize signing from Juventus who has gone on to become the club’s most prolific goal-scorer, said: “The way he sees the game and the way he wants his players to play, he is unique.”
When Wenger took charge on September 28 1996 the Gunners were languishing in the wrong half of the table.
In those 10 years he’s banished the club’s “boring, boring” mantra, transforming the Gunners into one of the most exciting teams in the world.
Wenger has led Arsenal to four FA Cups and three Premier League trophies, and came within a whisker of capturing the biggest prize of all last season when the Gunners just lost out to Barcelona in the final of the Champions League.
The articulate Frenchman has also developed a knack for turning unknown players into world-beaters, including Patrick Vieira, Nicolas Anelka, Cesc Fabregas and Freddie Ljungberg.
But Ljunberg, signed by Wenger from Swedish minnows Halmstads BK in 1998 for £3 million, said Wenger’s greatest achievement was introducing a style of play that has made the fans proud to be associated with the club.
He said: “He has bought the club a lot of success in trophies and the technical way we play. The fans enjoy watching it. Before he came they were not playing well but he turned it around – what can I say? He done brilliant.”
He added: “He has scouts all over the world and he is not scared to bring in young and new players.”
Teenage sensation Cesc Fabregas, snatched out of the Barcelona youth system by Wenger in 2003, said: “He believes in his scouts. He let me play in the first team at 16 with Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira. I will always say positive things about him. He is the most important person in my whole career.” |
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