Trevor Steven: Gentleman Arsene Wenger is a one-off and I hope he gets a triumphant Europa League send-off
It was the summer of 2008 and I was in Switzerland, where the European Championship was taking place, when I spotted a familiar figure across the hotel breakfast room.
Although my spell at Marseille coincided with his time in charge of Monaco, I hadn’t really spoken to Arsene Wenger, but I admired him so I thought I’d strike up a conversation.
Over sausage, eggs and beans we chatted for about an hour. He asked about my post-retirement days and warned me off staying in football, saying that it requires such dedication that it kills your life.
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Yet a decade on, he is still going. Why? It can only be because he is addicted to the game.
Wenger’s 22-year reign at Arsenal is coming to an end in the summer, though. We may never know exactly how that decision was reached but I think the timing is good as it gives the players a handful of games in which to provide the perfect send-off.
His achievements – three Premier League titles, including a Double in his first full season, and assembling the Invincibles team – are remarkable, and the praise from contemporaries such as Rafael Benitez and even old foe Jose Mourinho reflect that.
The tributes from his players past and present have also been generous, with most stating what a pleasure it was to play for him. Perhaps they also hint at where things went slightly wrong for Wenger: he put so much love into his teams, maybe at the expense of a killer instinct.
Wenger and Ferguson were long-standing rivals with different approaches (Source: Getty)
Where he and Sir Alex Ferguson, his long-standing adversary, differ is that the former Manchester United boss never lost his anger. When Fergie wanted someone out, such as Jaap Stam or David Beckham, they were gone; I don’t think Wenger had that level of control in the dressing room.
Wenger is an Alsace romantic, Ferguson a tough Govan boy, and they are one-offs. There won’t be another Arsene, just as there won’t be another Sir Alex.
Underdogs
On a personal note, I have always found Wenger to be gracious and a gentleman. He is everything I would aspire to be if I was a manager.
I truly hope his team can win the Europa League for him, although first they have to get past Atletico Madrid – a brutal and unsentimental side – in the semi-finals, starting on Thursday.
Arsenal are underdogs, but they have repeatedly surprised me. When seemingly down and out, after a defeat at Stoke or Burnley, all of a sudden they can kill a team.
I don’t quite get it, but that’s Arsene’s Arsenal, and they are still capable of that.