Arsene who?

This week was his 10th anniversary in charge of Arsenal Football Club. As a fanatical supporter of this club, I must pen something today…

Monsieur Arsene Wenger has been distinctive, setting apart from distinguished managers like Bertie Mee, Herbert Chapman and George “The Bung” Graham. I personally think Terry Neill, Stewart Houston and Bruce Rioch are forgettable.

In the past decade, Wenger has formulated and presided an exciting and captivating team so entertaining and playing cosmic football on a regular basis at Highbury. The Arsenal he created, a far cry from those “Boring Arsenal” days, would probably have won over neutral fans too. The bounds of credibility were stretched beyond any known point.

As we had seen him at the touchlines, at match conferences, this man oozes quiet confidence, he looks intelletual, scholarly and almost professorial.

During his tenure, we were blessed to see the introduction of Vieira, Anelka, Petit, Overmars and a clutch of obscure foreign talents. Most importantly, he rescues Henry from the reserves at Juventus. Look at the transformation.

His mantra thru’ my eyes: Getting his defenders to play constructively without losing the originality of the Dixon-Adams-Bould-Winterburn axis, whipping the midfield with creativity and combativeness and the attack must be mobile, quick and inspirational.

Amidst all this heaps of praises, we must not overlook his assistant of engaging candour, Pat Rice and the entire coaching and backroom staff too.

To bring it home in the Singapore context, "more good years", those great "feel it in my bones" footballing sense, for the "larger good" in the football community, but not “swiss standard" of football.