Arsène Wenger continues to hold Arsenal hostage to fortune with a decision over his own future. The Frenchman, in charge in North London for two decades, faces unprecedented criticism of his management and the continued lack of Premier League title challenges.
With another embarrassing exit from the Champions League on the cards and the Premier League title only a mathematical possibility, Wenger’s departure seems more likely than ever.
So who will be the Arsenal manager next season? We look at the leading contenders to occupy the Gunners hot-seat after this season.
The Outsider: Rafa Benitez
Mentioned recently, the Spaniard has plenty of experience in managing big clubs. Benitez has an impressive CV with Real Madrid, Napoli, Liverpool and Inter Milan all featuring.
He has won most of club football’s major honours, including the Champions League, Europa League, La Liga, European Super Cup, and Coppa Italia. His copybook was blotted at Real Madrid where a dour, defensive style of football did not find favour with the fans or the board.
His acrimonious departure saw him arrive on Tyneside too late to save Newcastle United from relegation. The Magpies are making hard work of returning to the top flight but look certain to reach the play-offs at the very least.
Has never won the Premier League but took distinctly average Liverpool and Chelsea teams into the top three. In his favour, he is widely experienced in European football and used to bringing the best out of underperforming players.
At Newcastle, he rebuilt the squad in the summer with a low net spend which will find favour with the Arsenal board.
The Englishman: Eddie Howe
Widely admired, the Bournemouth coach has already impressed by keeping the Cherries in the Premier League with a stylish passing game. That has already seen him heavily tipped for the Arsenal job, as well as managing the national team in the aftermath of the Allardyce fiasco.
Howe, as the token Englishman on the list, is likely to garner a lot of support in the back pages where the absence of any native managers at the top clubs is a regular bone of contention.
Beyond a pleasing outlook on the game, Howe’s best qualification seems to be his nationality. He hasn’t spent a lot of money at Bournemouth but then comparatively speaking, he doesn’t have anywhere near as much available as he would at the Emirates.
However, his appointment won’t appease fans who accuse the club of lacking ambition. Howe is viewed in some quarters as Wenger-lite, and his lack of experience at managing a big club will count against him.
There’s a danger of damaging his career by taking the Arsenal job; just ask David Moyes what it is like succeeding a legend.
The Fan’s Favourite: Diego Simeone
Simeone divides opinion on the Arsenal electronic terraces. Most rate the Argentinian highly, following his success with Atletico Madrid. Others find his pugnacious, street-fighter style too much to swallow after the cerebral Wenger.
However, don’t be fooled by the outward appearance. Simeone is an intelligent man whose style of play is very much in the ‘old school Arsenal’ style. Reminiscent of George Graham, he believes in a strong defence and building his attack on that.
Tactically astute, he’s taken Atletico to two Champions League finals, as well as La Liga, Copa Del Rey, UEFA Super Cup, Europa League and Supercopa de Espana success.
The fly in the ointment is next summer’s World Cup. Another Argentinean failure and it’s unlikely that Simeone will be able to resist the national team job.
Arsenal face strong competition from Juventus with Max Allegri likely to leave Turin this summer for Barcelona. Simeone’s family is of Italian and Spanish descent and his son Giovanni plays in Serie A. He may see it as a ‘spiritual homecoming’ to take the Juve job.
The Former Player: Thierry Henry
The Frenchman is the club’s leading goalscorer and is cutting his managerial teeth as Roberto Martinez’s assistant with Belgium.
His lack of experience in management is always trumped by the bronze statue outside of the Emirates. Henry is a hero to most and will be welcomed with open arms.
However, to have never managed any club before represents a huge risk on Arsenal’s part and for a conservative-thinking board, a step too far. He is more of a punt in many respects, than Eddie Howe.
Henry earned his coaching badges at the Emirates, training the youth teams but fell out with Wenger over his pundit work with Sky Sports. A dream team of the pair was mooted at one point but following their ‘break-up’, seems unlikely.
The Football Hipster’s Choice: Thomas Tuchel
There is something about Borussia Dortmund coaches which appeals to the English game. The club’s reputation was built on Jurgen Klopp’s success but despite not matching that, Tuchel is often quoted as a likely successor to Wenger.
Tuchel is in his second season in charge at the Westfalenstadion, and has already got one foot into the Champions League quarter-finals, having taken Dortmund to the same stage in last season’s Europa League.
English-speaking, he cut his managerial teeth at Mainz and followed Jurgen Klopp’s path to Dortmund. Even with one hand tied behind his back from summer sales, Tuchel has Dortmund sitting third in the table at present, with second place well within their grasp.
Has a quiet demeanour which will find favour with the board and a similar style of play to keep supporters happy.
And The Man Who Will Get The Job Of Managing Arsenal Next Season:
Arsène Wenger. Yes, despite everything, Wenger is likely to renew his contract if Arsenal reach the FA Cup final and/or the top four.
The Frenchman renewed his last contract after an emotional 3 – 2 win over Hull City at Wembley in 2014, and history looks set to repeat itself three years down the line. Wenger believes he can win trophies for the club and the board support him. More importantly, he has the ear of majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke.
The American owns a network of US sport franchises and none of them are successful on the field of play. They are all profitable businesses though, and he values that more highly than sporting achievement.
Wenger delivers him a healthy bottom line and until that is hurt, the Frenchman will always be his first choice for the job.
