The ‘Wenger Out’ brigade are back out in force now, with Saturday’s loss at home to Manchester United having frustrated large section of supporters at the Emirates Stadium. Despite dominating much of the game, the Gunners slipped to defeat, which has been a recurring theme in recent weeks – with Swansea away and the home game against Anderlecht, which ended 3-3, examples of collapses.
Wenger is undoubtedly a legend of the modern game, but with age now an issues and his ideas appearing somewhat out-dated, change looks to be on the cards.
Whether he be sacked, walks out or retires, a replacement will be needed, and here are FIVE worth considering…
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CLICK ON THE MAN HIMSELF TO REVEAL FIVE REPLACEMENTS
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Brendan Rodgers
Under just as much pressure as Wenger, Rodgers may find himself out of a job soon. The Liverpool chief was the ‘new Bill Shankly’ just a few short months ago as he guided the Reds to second spot in the Premier league while playing exciting football, but a disappointing start to 2014/15 has seen the pressure ramp up – with the weekend loss at Crystal Palace the latest in a long line of below par showings.
Rodgers himself is by now means a bad manager, and is certainly one to be considered if available. Despite being a little ‘David Brent from The Office’ at times, the Northern Irishman possesses good tactical and coaching knowledge, even if his use of the transfer market is questionable.
Jurgen Klopp
A large section of Arsenal fans have been calling for Klopp for some time, with the outspoken German seen as one of the very best coaches around. After transforming Dortmund from a sleeping giant to kings of the Bundesliga – for a while – the Westfalenstadion chief is now edging ever closer to the exit BVB door, with England a destination he has personally highlighted.
Klopp’s brand of ferocious counter-attacking football offers some of the answers to criticism aimed at Wenger, with the 47-year-old’s sides known for their raw pace and power and somewhat pragmatic edge.
Pep Guardiola
A real dream addition comes in the shape of Guardiola. ‘Pep’ oversaw Barcelona’s rise to become, arguably, the best team of the modern era, with his fast passing, possession-based game having influenced teams across Europe. Now at Bayern Munich, where he has been successful one again, Guardiola has already been linked with a move away from Germany when his contract expires in 2016.
Arsenal could potentially lure him in early, or wait until he’s a freebie, and land one of the best managers the game has seen in the last 20 years.
Dragan Stojkovic
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Who? Stojkovic, a former Yugoslavia international, played under Wenger during his time in charge of Japanese side Nagoya Grampus Eight and is known to have a solid relationship with the Frenchman. The current Gunners boss is understood to be behind the idea of bringing in the 49-year-old to replace him, and it’s fair to say that the transition may be a smooth one, judging by Stojkovic’s comments earlier this year:
“Arsene Wenger is a friend of mine and that relationship and friendship exists from 1995,” he said.
“If you remember how he changed Arsenal, the way they play, the style and the quality, this is the same style I used in the last six years, and Grampus became champions for the first time in their history thanks to that work.
“It is my objective to teach players to play in an attacking style and to give pleasure to the fans.”
The Eastern European gaffer was in charge of Grampus for six years before ending his spell with the Asian side last year, guiding them to their first ever J-League title in 2010 in the process. Not a ‘box office’ addition, but one that may be wise in the long run.
Paul Clement
Another slightly left-field candidate is Clement, who currently works as Carlo Ancelotti’s assistant at Real Madrid. The Englishman has operated at Chelsea, PSG and Fulham in various roles, and is widely being tipped to step out of the shadows and into full management in the not too distant future.
Clement has been praised for his tactical knowledge and has worked alongside truly great coaching staff during his career, and the experience he’s picked up could help him in a big job. However there are doubts surrounding his personality, with top managers needing to be media savvy and charismatic in the modern game.
