Wenger to be offered life tenure

[asfoolasiam]

Arsenal are ready to offer manager Arsene Wenger a job for life at Highbury, with a position on the board awaiting the Frenchman when he finally quits coaching.Here's the link to the full article: http://www.soccernet.com/england/news/2002/1008/20021008afcwenger.html

[michaec]

When he does finally quit being manager, and hopefully it won't be for a long time yet, I'd have thought he would like a crack at being manager of the French national side. Managing the national team has to be the pinnacle of any manager's career.

[kygunner]

Originally posted by michaec
When he does finally quit being manager, and hopefully it won't be for a long time yet, I'd have thought he would like a crack at being manager of the French national side. Managing the national team has to be the pinnacle of any manager's career. Ditto. In fact Id think the job is open for him when ever he wants to move into the position. Wenger has alot of personal power now days, though Id argue its deserved.

[chicago_fan]

AW has certainly earned everyone's respect at Arsenal. With the plaudits he's also earned a lot of freedom, too. I think he would find coaching at the national level to be too restrictive. Too many people to answer to, too many cooks in the kitchen.

[michaec]

Originally posted by chicago_fan
AW has certainly earned everyone's respect at Arsenal. With the plaudits he's also earned a lot of freedom, too. I think he would find coaching at the national level to be too restrictive. Too many people to answer to, too many cooks in the kitchen.
I think it would be down to him to stamp his authority on the position. I don't recall anyone getting in the way of Aime Jacquet when he was French coach. He wouldn't have stood for any interference in team affairs and was successful.

[dwinkler]

Originally posted by chicago_fan
AW has certainly earned everyone's respect at Arsenal. With the plaudits he's also earned a lot of freedom, too. I think he would find coaching at the national level to be too restrictive. Too many people to answer to, too many cooks in the kitchen. Patrick Vieira agrees with you (or you with him?). Q&A from the Guardian:

People also mentioned Arsène Wenger's name when the time came to pick a new French manager...

Arsène would need to have all the cards in his hands, and that would be difficult. With Les Bleus, there are too many people who are of no use, who are there to pretend, who give their opinion when they're not asked to. At Arsenal, the coach is the boss. He takes care of everything.

I sincerely think that firing Roger Lemerre was the easiest solution. There had to be a guilty party and it was him. He was the ideal prey. He had his share of responsibility, like everybody else, like the French FA who organised friendly matches at the other end of the world, but the actors - the players - have the greatest share of it.

[asfoolasiam]

Originally posted by michaec

I think it would be down to him to stamp his authority on the position. I don't recall anyone getting in the way of Aime Jacquet when he was French coach. He wouldn't have stood for any interference in team affairs and was successful. We've all read how Wenger's management at Arsenal extends not only to his players' performance on the pitch, but also to such things as their dietary habits. (I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he makes them floss. ;)) Thus, I don't think the "control" issue Wenger would face as French National Team manager would come from FFF officials being officious so much as the fact that Wenger would not have the constant guidance over his players' holistic physical and psychological lives available to him as the manager of a club.

Arsene works best when he can develop young players to achieve their full potential under his constant care and tutelage. Although I'm sure he'd be a fine national team manager, I don't think that setting really plays to his strengths.

[kygunner]

Originally posted by asfoolasiam
We've all read how Wenger's management at Arsenal extends not only to his players' performance on the pitch, but also to such things as their dietary habits. (I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he makes them floss. ;)) Thus, I don't think the "control" issue Wenger would face as French National Team manager would come from FFF officials being officious so much as the fact that Wenger would not have the constant guidance over his players' holistic physical and psychological lives available to him as the manager of a club.

Arsene works best when he can develop young players to achieve their full potential under his constant care and tutelage. Although I'm sure he'd be a fine national team manager, I don't think that setting really plays to his strengths. You bring up some very valid points I had not considered.