Like many others, I possess a genuine respect for Arsene Wenger. One can only admire the style and the sophisticated manner in which his teams play football. There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that his presence in England has seriously enhanced the Premier Division over the past decade. It is still rather unusual for a professional football manager to place the type of football his team plays above all other aspects of his job.

While he did have enormous success during the first five or six years of his reign, the fact is that it is now four years since Arsenal last won a trophy.

Integral role

In that time of course, the club has moved to a state of the art stadium in North London and its training ground is amongst the very best in Europe. Wenger has contributed greatly to both the design and the cost of both facilities. His experience of the requirements needed for the training of the modern footballer and his Gallic imagination and desire for elegant surroundings have been an integral part of the structural features in both developments. His astute understanding and eye for young players of exceptional talent allied to his very individual ability to foster that talent to quite exceptional fruition has saved his club much money and also at the same time augmented the clubs finances by selling players for handsome profit.

No other manager in the history of top class football has played such a distinctive and illustrious part in the progression of his club and it is something that will forever be remembered by Arsenal fans and also, I would imagine, football people across Europe. This achievement is also I think, far more important than the winning of trophies and competitions.

Demanding times

However, at the same time, we are living in demanding times in all codes of sport. At the top echelon of every sport, winning is essential if the hearts and minds of the players and supporters are to be harnessed to the present and future of any club.