Wenger sets Arsenal record
Thursday, October 1, 2009
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Arsène Wenger became Arsenal FC's longest-serving manager on Thursday, celebrating 13 years at the club and eclipsing the mark of 4,748 days set by George Allison between 1934 and 1947.
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Arsène Wenger became Arsenal FC's longest-serving manager on Thursday, celebrating 13 years at the club and eclipsing the previous record tenure of 4,748 days set by George Allison between 1934 and 1947.
Famous headline
Wenger said this week that the Gunners took a huge gamble in appointing him in 1996, when the London Evening Standard newspaper greeted his arrival with the headline "Arsène Who?". It did not take long for those ignorant of his achievements with AS Monaco FC and Nagoya Grampus Eight to find out who he was, as Wenger led the Gunners to an FA Cup and Premier League double in his first full season in charge in 1997/98.
Attacking football
Arsenal have won two more Premier League titles since, including another double in 2002, and their 'Invincible' team were unbeaten in the league in 2003/04. They have also moved from their homely Highbury ground to a new 60,000-capacity stadium and now play a brand of exciting, attacking football not seen since their glorious era of the 1930s. It almost brought them a first UEFA Champions League crown in 2006, before two late FC Barcelona goals swung a close final in Paris.
'Red carpet'
Wenger has said the Arsenal board were at best brave, at worst crazy, to hire him in 1996: "When you work abroad it is never easy because, frankly, they do not need you. It is difficult to put into context today because now every foreign manager arrives on a red carpet. It was not like that when I arrived. They needed to be, maybe not crazy, but certainly brave. However, I believe I was lucky to find the support I found at Arsenal and that is always important for success."
Stellar signings
Thierry Henry is the lead name in a cast of stellar Wenger signings and one of the most influential overseas players to join an English club. "You have to remember, no matter where you end up, the people who helped make you along the way," said the striker, who scored a record 174 goals for the north Londoners. "I won the treble with Barcelona last year, but I know that if it wasn't for Arsène Wenger I would not be the player I am."
