Neither Wenger nor Rodgers is ready
IF Brendan Rodgers is taking a close look at developments at Arsenal, he should stop wasting his time.
For one thing, I firmly believe Arsene Wenger – despite getting himself involved in a debate on his future during the week – will still be the Gunners manager at the start of next season.
For another, there’s still a shadow hanging over the Celtic gaffer’s reputation in England.
His first season at Liverpool was so incredible – taking them closer to the Premiership title than anyone ever has – that the second looked horrific by comparison. Actually, it looked worse than it really was. Nevertheless, nobody in England has forgotten it, and for all he has transformed the Hoops and has them on course for all sorts of records, this summer would be too early for a big club to contemplate trying to tempt him south
But if Brendan continues transforming Celtic – and carries that transformation into the Champions League – his CV will start to look much more impressive. The Frenchman is simply too stubborn. He still believes he can win another title with Arsenal. As long as that belief remains, wild horses couldn’t drag him away from the Emirates.
A fair chunk of the Gunners’ support can’t accept that, but beyond staging a full-blown boycott, there’s absolutely nothing they can do about it.
For many, Arsenal’s midweek humiliation in Munich was the last straw.
I live in London during the week and socialise with a few Gooners, so I know many of them have already turned their back on Wenger.
But Arsenal are such a big club that there are always punters waiting in the wings to fill the spaces vacated by those who have had enough.
Wenger’s time will come to an end, as every manager’s eventually does.
But when he hands the reigns at Arsenal over to somebody else, it will be because he believes he has successfully managed his own departure.
Sir Alex Ferguson did that at Manchester United.
And having watched his old adversary deliver the Premier League title in his retirement season, Wenger is absolutely desperate to do the same.
It’s a scenario that has driven Arsenal fans to despair.
But it’s also one that a select group of upand-coming managers will be watching closely, including Brendan Rodgers.