HE’S OUT OF THIS WORLD Lauren: Gaffer one of greats
ARSENE WENGER has been hailed as one of the greatest managers in the history of world football.
That glowing verdict on the Arsenal boss comes from the north Londoners’ former Cameroon star Lauren.
The ex-Real Mallorca defender, who cost the Gunners £7.1million in the summer of 2000, became a regular feature on the right-hand side of Wenger’s unrivalled Invincibles team.
They famously went the entire 2003-04 Premier League campaign unbeaten – a remarkable feat – en route to lifting the third and last title of the Frenchman’s glittering reign.
And Lauren, 41 (right) has got nothing but immense praise for the way Wenger transformed that Arsenal team into the most dominant force in the land.
Lauren, who scored seven times in 159 league appearances during six years at the club, said: “Arsene Wenger is definitely the greatest manager in Arsenal history – and he is definitely one of the greatest managers of all time.
“The way he allowed the players to think for themselves, the way he would make us live our lives away from football and the way he would always be thinking about football. That will be Arsene’s legacy at Arsenal.
“Arsene was amazing with the players. He would just keep it simple, tell you to rise to your level and find your talent. He would just let you go out and play.”
When Lauren arrived from Spain he was a self-confessed defensive full-back.
But within a season,
Wenger had changed him into a rampaging wing-back, capable of creating and scoring vital goals as well as stopping them at the other end.
Lauren said: “It was such a big difference for me to come to England from Spain and a big challenge.
“The style of play, the tactics went from being very defensive at Mallorca to this new attacking style with Arsenal where I was going forward. All the players who played for him must be very grateful. And we should give credit to him for what he’s done for Arsenal. “That must come from the club, the players and the fans. He was someone who just loved the club.” With football so all-consuming in Wenger’s life, Lauren cannot imagine the French genius will be out of the game for good once he leaves Arsenal. But he does urge him to at least have a holiday and recharge the batteries before taking on another job. Lauren, now based in Seville, said: “I hope he’s going to take his time and have a rest. “But he loves football, he is a football man, so I am sure he’ll be back.” Those sentiments have been echoed by Pat Rice, Wenger’s former assistant boss at Arsenal. The ex-Northern Ireland defender spent a total of 44 years with the north Londoners – as player and coach. And Rice, 69, cannot see Wenger riding off into the sunset any time soon.
The Gunners legend, who left the club in 2012, said: “I’d be a bit surprised if somewhere like UEFA or FIFA did not use Arsene. Who knows? There is even talk of finding him a role at The Emirates. I know one thing, though, he won’t go and retire because football is his life. Totally. “Whereas I’d come to work and talk about a film or show I’d been to the night before, he would ask if anyone had seen Malaga v Barcelona!”
TOP GUNS: Arsenal legend Pat Rice was Wenger’s assistant