Arsenal: Ian Wright Arsene Wenger's Comments Rather Confusing
Arsenal legend Ian Wright has rather confusingly and unclearly stated that Arsene Wenger’s management style is like a soft parent. What could he mean?
Arsenal are a club defined by the management style of one man. His ideals, his beliefs and his philosophies infiltrate, influence and impact every aspect of the football club, on the pitch, in the dressing room and in the transfer market. However, very little is actually known about how he works.
Arsene Wenger is a divisive figure among Arsenal circles. Some see him as the saviour of the club, bringing a new lease of life, a rejuvenated, attacking style of play with a whole lot of trophies. Others see him as a past-it, stagnating figure. The truth probably lies somewhere between the two.
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However, when asked about his style, the way in which he interacts with his players, there are very few that can provide an insightful answer. That is why, then, is it so fascination when Ian Wright opens up about his former manager, depicting him as a ‘soft parent’:
“The big problem with taking Arsene’s approach is that it isn’t difficult to take advantage of — it’s almost like having a parent you think is a bit soft and you know if you cry hard enough you’ll get a sweet. Players that are strong characters have taken his kindness for weakness. In my view, players like Emmanuel Adebayor and William Gallas have taken liberties. He [Adebayor] came in just as Thierry Henry was getting ready to leave. It looked like the perfect transition. Then all of a sudden he wanted the same money as Thierry. For him to go off like he did and start flirting with Barcelona and Inter Milan was completely out of order. It was like holding the club to blackmail and it destroyed any relationship he had with the fans.”
It not unsurprising that Wenger does not rule with an iron fist. His soft approach in press conferences and interviews seem to suggest that he would not show the same gentle side to his players also. However, to be described as a ‘soft parent’ seems a tad, well, soft.
This is a man who has managed a whole host of characters, enjoyed great success and suffered great failure over a great number of years. Soft is not the adjective that would spring to mind then, when wanting to describe someone of such grandeur.
It is always interesting to read the insights of players about how their managers work. As a fan, we can – thanks to the advancements in technology, stats and general understanding – analyse the game as well as most professionals. We can, though, never have the same experience of the private workings of a football club. Soft is not what I would have expected to read, but that does not make it any less true.