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Arsène Wenger OBE (born October 22, 1949 in Strasbourg) is a French football manager. He is currently the manager of Arsenal, He is the club’s most successful manager in terms of trophies and the club’s longest-serving manager in terms of matches played (over 600 as of March 2007).
Wenger is the only non-British manager to win the Double in England, having done so in 1998 and 2002. In 2004, he became the only manager in FA Premier League history to go through the entire season without a loss.
dan karirnya…
Wenger’s first senior management job was at Nancy, which he joined in 1984, but he enjoyed little success there. His managerial career took off when he became the manager of AS Monaco in 1987. He won the league in 1988 and the French Cup in 1991, and signed high-calibre players such as Glenn Hoddle, George Weah and Jürgen Klinsmann. Wenger turned down approaches by Bayern Munich and the France national team out of loyalty for Monaco, only to be fired after a poor start to the 1994-95 season. He moved on to a successful 18-month stint with the Japanese J. League team Nagoya Grampus Eight, with whom he won the Emperor’s Cup, the national cup competition. He also took the club from the bottom three to runners-up position in the league.
Wenger had in the meantime become a friend of the then Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein, after the two had met when Wenger attended a match between Arsenal and Queens Park Rangers in 1988. After Bruce Rioch resigned in August 1996, Gérard Houllier, the then technical director of the French Football Federation, recommended Wenger to David Dein in the summer of 1996. Arsenal confirmed his appointment on September 28, 1996, and he officially took up the reins on October 1. Wenger was Arsenal’s first manager from outside Great Britain or Ireland. Though he had previously been touted as a potential Technical Director of the Football Association, at the time Wenger was a relative unknown in England.
Even before he formally took control of the team, Wenger had started to shape it in his own way, having requested that the club sign French midfielders Patrick Vieira and Rémi Garde a month before he took charge. His first match in charge was a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers on October 12, 1996. In his first season at the club, Arsenal finished third and missed out on Champions League qualification on goal difference.
In his second season in charge (1997-98), Arsenal won both the Premiership and FA Cup, the second Double in the club’s history; it came after Arsenal made up a twelve point deficit on Manchester United to win the League title with two games to spare. Key to the success was the inherited back four of Tony Adams, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon and Martin Keown, as well as Wenger’s new midfield signings of Vieira, Emmanuel Petit and Marc Overmars, and teenage striker Nicolas Anelka’s partnership with Dennis Bergkamp.
The following few seasons were comparatively barren, although Arsenal did come close several times. In 1999, they lost the Premiership title to Manchester United by a single point, and United also eliminated Arsenal in extra time of an FA Cup semi-final replay. This was followed by losing the UEFA Cup final to Galatasaray on penalties and the 2001 FA Cup final to Liverpool 2-1. Wenger resolved to bring new players to the squad, with the controversial signing of Tottenham’s Sol Campbell as well as first-team players such as Fredrik Ljungberg, Thierry Henry and Robert Pirès.
Although the new signings took a little time to adapt, they made sure that Wenger’s Arsenal would achieve the double once more in the 2001-02 season. The crowning moment was the second to last game of the season, against Manchester United; Sylvain Wiltord scored the only goal in the match to win the title. It was the club’s third double, and Arsenal were undefeated in a record 23 matches away from home. After an incredible start to the 2002-03 season, Arsenal had looked as though they were going to retain the Premiership crown for the first time in their history. The team contributed and combined some irresistible, attacking football with pace and visionary skills. However, Manchester United overhauled the Gunners in the latter stage of the season to win the title, as Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead against Bolton Wanderers to draw 2-2 and then surrendered the title at home to Leeds United.
Arsenal were compensated with a FA Cup win in 2003, and the following season made history by winning the 2003-04 Premiership title in 2004 without a single loss, the first top-flight team to manage this feat since Preston North End in 1888-89. A year earlier, Wenger had been derided for saying it was possible Arsenal could go unbeaten in an entire season.
With another FA Cup win in 2005, in all, Arsenal have won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups under Wenger, making him Arsenal’s most successful manager in terms of trophies. However, the UEFA Champions League title still eludes him; the closest Arsenal have come was when they reached the final in 2005-06, the first time in club history, which they lost 2-1 to FC Barcelona.
serta talentanya…
Wenger has a reputation for unearthing talent and developing young players from across Europe and, in recent years, Africa. At Monaco, he brought Liberian George Weah, who later became FIFA World Player of the Year with A.C. Milan, from Cameroonian side Tonnerre Yaoundé. In his time at Arsenal, Wenger has signed young, relatively unknown players such as Patrick Vieira, Nicolas Anelka, Francesc Fàbregas, Kolo Touré, Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Eboue and helped their transition into becoming world-class players. Notably, the Arsenal defence that set a new record after going ten consecutive games without conceding a goal en route to the UEFA Champions League 2005-06 final against FC Barcelona, cost Arsenal less than £5m to assemble.
Although Wenger has made some big-money signings for Arsenal his net spending record compares favourably with that of some other leading Premiership clubs; according to Peter Hill-Wood, Arsenal chairman, “Arsène’s basically spent, since he’s been with us, £4m to £5m a year net.” A notable example of this ability was the purchase of Nicolas Anelka from Paris St Germain for only £500,000 and his subsequent sale to Real Madrid just two years later for £22.3m. The money was used to buy three players — Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès and Sylvain Wiltord, who all played a significant role in the Double of 2001-02 and the league title win of 2003-04.
As well as bringing in younger and relatively unknown talent to the club, Wenger has also seen a few of his veterans have their careers rejuvenated at Arsenal. Dennis Bergkamp, who had been signed by the north London side a year before Wenger joined, reached his peak under Wenger’s management. Wenger also had a hand in elevating his former protégé at Monaco, Thierry Henry, to a world class player, and saw him become Arsenal’s all-time top scorer and captain.
Wenger has also reformed the training and dietary regimes, ridding the club of its drinking and junk-food culture. Wenger stood by captain Tony Adams after the latter admitted his alcoholism in 1996. Wenger’s support was factored into Adams’ rehabilitation and return to form, likely extending his career by several years. Wenger’s training and dietary regime may have also prolonged the careers of the other members of Arsenal’s back four: defenders Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon and Martin Keown; Wenger initially was planning to replace them but later realized that he did not need to. fact
Wenger had a direct input into the design of the Gunners’ new Emirates Stadium and its move to a new training ground at London Colney. He enjoys a great deal of support from among Arsenal’s fanbase, the club’s fans having demonstrated tremendous faith in the manager and his vision over the long term. Nowhere has this sentiment been characterised more than by the popular saying among Gunners supporters “Arsène Knows”, which is seen repeatedly on banners displayed by Emirates Stadium crowds.
For Arsenal’s valedictory campaign at Highbury in 2005-06, supporters showed their appreciation for the manager by choosing “Wenger Day” as one of various “Themed Matchdays” proposed by the club in celebration of the team’s move away from their historical ground. Wenger Day was held on his 56th birthday on October 22, 2005, during a match against Manchester City.
Wenger reached his landmark 10th anniversary at the club in October 2006.
David Dein, former vice-chairman of Arsenal, has described Wenger as the most important manager in the club’s history: “Arsene’s a miracle worker. He’s revolutionised the club. He’s turned players into world-class players. Since he has been here, we have seen football from another planet.”
Itulah Arsene Wenger. Dia mampu menciptakan sebuah kultur bagi klub Arsenal, dengan talenta pemain-pemain mudanya, serta filosofi sepakbola indah.
Kalau orang mengatakan, Alex Ferguson-lah yang terbaik, apalagi dengan prestasi melegenda Class of ‘92-nya, itu terserah mereka. Masa bodoh. Bagiku, Fergie bukanlah yang terbaik. Setelah era mereka (Class of ‘92), siapa pemain yang berhasil diorbitkan lagi? Pemain lulusan akademi seperti Wes Brown, John O’ Shea adalah pemain-pemain kelas medioker. Pemain-pemain yang dibeli semacam Juan Sebastian Veron, Tim Howard, Fabien Barthez, Eric Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson, adalah contoh pembelian gagal Fergie. Pemain-pemain bertalenta seperti Alan Smith dan Diego Forlan malah disia-siakan.
Ok, katakanlah Francis Jeffers ataupun pemain sekelas Jose Antonio Reyes adalah contoh kegagalan dari Wenger. Tapi kegagalan itu lebih (sangat) jarang dilakukannya ketimbang Fergie. Jangan lupa pula, dia yang berhasil membuktikan dan membukakan mata bagi para pemerhati sepakbola, kekuatan penyerang Arsenal tanpa penyerang sekelas Anelka (yang waktu itu hengkang ke Real Madrid), malah dibuat lebih kuat dengan kehadiran Henry. Kehilangan Patrick Vieira (ke Juventus), itu merupakan salah satu strategi dalam mematangkan talenta Cesc Fabregas, serta memaksimalkan kemampuan dari Gilberto Silva. Dan itu semua dilakukannya dengan strategi bisnis yang ciamik. Siapa yang dulu bisa mengira nama-nama di punggung kostum yang bertuliskan “Toure”, “Ljunberg”, “Fabregas”, “Vieira”, adalah salah satu pemain-pemain hebat di dunia?
Dia memang emosional, tapi tidak se-childish (atau sebanci?) Jose Mourinho. Tidak sekeras Fergie, namun tetap mampu membangun mental pemain mudanya dengan caranya sendiri. Bagi pecinta Premier League yang sudah mengikuti sejak lama pasti tahu, perang psikologis antara Wenger vs. Fergie adalah yang paling ditunggu-tunggu dan memorable, dibandingkan dengan Mourinho vs. Fergie, Mourinho vs. Rafa Benitez, ataupun Mourinho vs. Wenger. Meskipun ciri khas dari tim-nya adalah sering emosional (terbukti dengan seringnya kartu merah, bahkan hingga ajang bak pemain tinju), tapi dia berhasil membawa tim itu (dengan diremehkan oleh banyak pihak saat itu) menuju final Liga Champion yang bergengsi itu.
Itulah 1 dari 3 pelatih sepakbola yang (menurutku) terbaik didunia, selain Rinus Michels (Bapak Total Football-nya Belanda), dan Aime Jacquet (mantan pelatih Prancis).
Dan seandainyapun suatu saat Wenger keluar dari Arsenal, aku yakin para fans tidak akan membencinya. Sebab, dialah yang berhasil membawa Arsenal seperti saat ini, dengan sebuah kultur yang unik dalam dunia sepakbola.
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