Arsène Wenger and Arsenal has been a love hate story for a number of fans for quite some time now.
What started off as a wonderful experience quickly descended into something of a plateau, winning enough to make the Champions League on a yearly basis, but with the number of trophies quickly diminishing, to the point that a fan revolt threatens every year at some stage.
Grateful for everything he has done in the past and the trophies he won during his time at the club, fans are now starting to wonder whether Wenger has overstayed his welcome and a change is needed.
Speaking to France Football, who look at Wenger’s 20-year reign, Nigel Phillips, member of the Arsenal Supporters Trust and season ticket holder since 1985, didn’t hold back.
He said: “We speak of Wenger’s 20 years as an era, but these 20 years can be separated in three sections of ten, five and five years. The first is the trophies, the doubles and the Champions League final. The second is all about the move: getting settled in the new stadium, no trophies but the feeling of having someone safe in charge of the club.
“The third has been one of incredible sadness. The saddest part is to see so much division within the club, the fans, a lack of harmony. And the cause of this is what I would call ‘high level mediocrity’.”
Mr Phillips carried on saying there was a feeling their manager’s desire, hunger, was gone, and the fear that someone like Rémi Garde could take over now that Guardiola, Klopp or Koeman are all taken, was a dreaded scenario if Wenger was given the option to name his successor, in Ferguson-Moyes fashion.
There is an underlying feeling this could be the Frenchman’s final season in charge of the club, what with his contract running out in June and all, and his successor will be a very important affair for fans, and an interesting one for neutrals when the time comes.
Until then, though, “In Wenger We Trust” seems to be the only option.
