Is It Time For Wenger To Go?

With his contract at Arsenal set to expire this summer and a large number of fans calling for change, is it time for Arsene Wenger to go?

As of yet there has been no clear indication from either club or manager that a new deal is on the table. There have been the usual rumours of possible replacements floating around and of course the Arsenal board would be foolish to have not explored possible candidates. However I believe they currently lean towards keeping Wenger in place. With Arsenal never failing to finish outside of the Premier League top four under his guidance, they have benefitted from being a Champions League ever present. It is this accomplishment that I believe currently influences the Arsenal board’s stance more than any other. Whether the team can repeat the feat this season, will in my opinion also be the deciding factor in both Wenger’s and the club’s final decision.

If Arsenal do finish in the top four, thereby securing another year of Champions League football then I believe the club will look to tie down the Frenchman to at least another year. If Arsenal were a club run on the sole basis of winning trophies then Wenger would have been shown the door a long time ago. I can't think of any other club with Arsenal's stature and history of winning trophies that would have stuck with a manager without a league title since 2004. However, Arsenal is not run like any other of the top English teams. There is as much importance placed on financial stability as there is on on-field success. To lose the guarantee of Champions League football that Wenger has been able to provide, would have a massive effect on the club. However, if Arsenal do qualify for the Champions League next season then I believe the summer is the opportune moment for the club to take a new managerial direction. The continued financial benefit and player attraction that the world’s premier club competition provides will be imperative to any chance of success that an incoming manager will have.

If Arsenal fail to achieve Champions League qualification then I believe Wenger’s decision would be a simple one from his point of view. At 67 years of age, would he really be relishing the prospect of a complete rebuilding job? In 21 years in charge at Arsenal, Wenger has never faced the prospect of a season without top European competition and the strong possibility of losing some of the team’s best players. I can’t see him signing up to that task at this late stage of his career.

Let’s say Arsenal don’t qualify for the Champions League, Wenger calls time on his career and the club need to appoint a new manager to bring back the glory days. Any incoming manager would immediately have two important tasks to have any chance of achieving this. The first is to sort out the futures of contract rebels, Mesut Ozil and arguably more importantly, Alexis Sanchez. The second, to sign the players he would want to shape the team in his own style. Both of these tasks would need substantial investment from the club. Arsenal, traditionally have not been able to spend the same amounts of money as some of England’s other top clubs. They don’t benefit from a billionaire owner as Chelsea and Manchester City do, nor do they generate the type of income that Manchester United boast. So with the lack of Champions League income, not to mention how much remains of the £260m borrowed to build The Emirates Stadium, that sort of investment is unlikely to materialise. So would the club be able to survive an extended hiatus from the Champions League such as the one United currently find themselves in? Without the funds and unless they can find a manager with the same ability to attract big name players as Jose Mourinho, it’s unlikely.

At the end of the day...

Arsenal’s future hangs in the balance. If they don’t finish in the top four, Wenger will likely retire and any replacement will have a huge task on their hands. If they do finish in the top four, the board needs to be bold and take the decision to find a new manager. A change is definitely needed and Champions League football gives a new coach the best chance of success.