New deal puts Wenger on notice

– With his future finally resolved, Arsene Wenger has one last chance to restore his battered reputation and end the civil war that threatened to tear Arsenal apart.

It is 13 years since Wenger’s “Invincibles” won the last of his three Premier League titles, a golden period when the bond between the Arsenal boss and his fans seemed unbreakable.

Wenger’s subsequent travails have turned that relationship increasingly toxic, so it was inevitable that this week’s announcement that he has signed a new two-year contract would be greeted with disdain by many fans.

London

Winning the FA Cup for a record seventh time against Premier League champions Chelsea last Saturday was unexpectedly uplifting after the most stressful period of Wenger’s 21-year reign at the club.

And as the Frenchman cavorted around Wembley during the lap of honour, the more optimistic Arsenal followers viewed the celebrations as a renewal of vows between the coach and his army of detractors.

But for the previous 10 months, the 67-year-old had been subjected to vitriolic abuse from fans calling for his resignation.

Frustrations were running so high that even FA Cup glory couldn’t win over some disgruntled fans and, just as significantly, it was reported members of Arsenal’s board had their own misgivings about Wenger.

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis admitted it had been an “unsettling time” and while majority shareholder Stan Kroenke remained in Wenger’s corner, others pushed for the manager to cede some of his powers to a sporting director and make changes to his long-serving backroom staff.

Wenger appears to have won that power struggle for now, but a poor start to next season would surely fan the flames of discontent. –