Football: Wenger’s 20-year anniversary
When Arsenal appointed Arsène Wenger 20 years ago last week, most Gunners fans had the same reaction, said Andrew Richardson in The Sun. “Who?” Surely “some French guy” managing in Japan wasn’t up to the task? How wrong they were. In Wenger’s first ten years at the club, Arsenal won the Premier League three times and the FA Cup four times; reached their first ever Champions League final; and famously went a whole season undefeated. The trophy count may have dried up – just two FA Cups in the subsequent decade – but Wenger soldiers on. In a league where the average managerial tenure is now just 14.5 months, his longevity is incredible.
The Frenchman completely revolutionised the club and, in turn, the Premier League, said Oliver Kay in The Times. He forced players to eat steamed vegetables rather than junk food, and brought in fitness specialists – unheard of at the time. He also showed “a knack” for signing the “perfect players” – Marc Overmars, Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry – to suit his “expressive” style of play, said Amy Lawrence in The Guardian. But after a decade of “high achievement”, Wenger found himself constrained by Arsenal’s expensive stadium relocation, and the lavish spending by oligarch-owned clubs. He invested heavily in youth, but with neither the trophies nor the wages to keep or attract the best players, it was a losing battle. In the past ten years, Arsenal have perennially been “one or two elite players short”.
Wenger could have done better, said Barney Ronay, in the same paper. With the team he built, he “should have won more league titles”, as well as the Champions League. Nevertheless, it’s strange to see a manager once regarded as so innovative now written off as “an obstacle to progress”, as Arsenal’s “dinosaur general”. Still, “plus ça change, as they say in Islington”. Happy anniversary, Arsène. Like David Cameron, “you were the future once”.
To The Daily Telegraph
Throughout military history when British troops are involved, there has been an implicit assumption that they behave impeccably. Sadly, evidence from the Second World War alone shows this to be false. A small number at times behaved illegally.
Those of us who have served in the military do not doubt the courage and selfsacrifice of our soldiers. However, we must not let this cloud our responsibility to root out any who have broken the law.
If we wish to retain the high moral ground, we must accept investigations into the possibility of wrongdoing. Dr Barry Clayton, Thornton-Cleveleys, Lancashire