As Arsène Wenger walks into the sunset after 22 years in charge, we look at his Arsenal career from the opposite corner, and get a glimpse of his immense contribution to the English game.
The best seats in a football stadium are behind the goal-posts. Large stands, like the Stretford End, the Kop, or the Sudtribune at Dortmund, have screamed and shouted and chanted their way into football folklore. Standing amongst those privileged thousands, one must feel they’re directly contributing to the outcome of the play on field.
But they come with the caveat of near-field vision. In some of the bigger stadiums, it is difficult to see what’s really happening at the other end, and as a result your focus narrows to the goal in front of you, stretching at best to the centre of the pitch. Maybe that’s why the media, a profession built on the pillars of objectivity, get seats near the centre-circle, equidistant from both goals.
Over the last week, since the news of Arsène Wenger quitting has filtered through, keyboards have clattered at a faster pace, not least from the Arsenal end of the stadium. “Nah fam, fuck him” has turned to “I know I was harsh on him, he’s a legend, but I love Arsenal”, and “Voyeur and specialist in failure” has given way to “I regret the sour episodes with Mr. Wenger”. Life comes at you fast in football. In the middle of all this outburst, it may be worthwhile to take a step back, and revisit Wenger’s legacy from the far side.