Arsenal: ‘Masochist’ Arsene Wenger Must Continue To Change

Arsene Wenger has described himself as a ‘masochist’. While that is admirable, he must continue to change if Arsenal are to progress to a title.

Arsenal football club has been moulded in the image of one man. Their finances, the new stadium, the training infrastructure, the transfers, the tactics, the coaching methods, the personnel. All of these aspects of running a football club stem from the ideals of one man.

When Arsene Wenger was hired in 1996, the club that he took over had a drinking problem, an ageing squad composed of men who had become disillusioned with success and faced the challenges of overcoming one of the greatest teams in English footballing history. He had to handle all of this under the pressure of being a nobody.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

Since then, he has masterminded a 21-year dynasty, a club that has revolutionised modern football, with his meticulous preparation, his focus on fitness, health and diet and his tactical and technical advancements that he brought to the Premier League. That takes commitment, dedication and an ability to deal with pressure and criticism. When asked about how he has handled the job and the difficulties that a modern-day manager must overcome, Wenger revealed:

"” I am a specialist in masochism. What I can say is, yes, it’s very demanding. It’s a sacrifice of your life. You have nothing else happening in your life. Basically, you get 90% aggravation and 10% top satisfaction and you have to give everything in your life for that. I always say to all the young people who want to go into this job: ‘Are you ready to sacrifice your life?’ It’s like a priest. You’re a football priest.”"

It is certainly an admirable job that Wenger has mastered at Arsenal. However, if the club is to continue to have success in the future, ending the 12-year title drought and challenging the might of the European giants, then he will have to continue to change.

He cannot become stagnant, stubborn, stuck in his old ways, refusing to adapt and to change to the ever-altering demands of modern football. The growing criticism of his tenure is vindicated by a number of years scuppered by the same weaknesses in his management and the team’s make-up.

Next: Potential Starting XI Under Massimiliano Allegri

If he chooses to stay beyond the end of the year, then answering those critics will be an almighty task. Not one that he is incapable of achieving, but one that will demand he continues to change.