Arsene Wenger's 20 years at Arsenal: The one man who won’t glory in his achievements is the man himself

James Olley30 September 2016

It is the future that drives Arsene Wenger, not the past. There are many within football ready to celebrate the remarkable milestone of reaching 20 years in charge of Arsenal but the Frenchman is not one of them.

The elongated recognition brought about by some marking the achievement on September 22 — in reference to his unveiling at a press conference on that date in 1996 — while the rest pay tribute around October 1 when he formally took charge will not sit comfortably with a man happy to talk about any subject other than himself.

Prior to this morning’s weekly press conference at London Colney, Arsenal chairman Sir Chips Keswick presented Wenger with a crystal vase, with an engraving which read: “With gratitude for 20 years of loyal service from the Directors of Arsenal Football Club”.

The presentation itself was low key and that is in keeping with Wenger’s preference. Although American television network NBC are trailing a documentary with Wenger to be aired tomorrow, that interview was filmed during the club’s pre-season tour in America. The 66-year-old has declined all requests for a special retrospective casting an eye over his two decades in north London, even from the club’s own in-house media channels.

He spoke to Sky Sports and Premier League Productions at lunchtime today as one of the biannual one-on-ones top flight managers are required to conduct as part of the latest television contract, rather than from a desire to glorify his latest landmark.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis declined offers to eulogise about Wenger in public and the busy fixture list continuing with Sunday’s Premier League trip to Burnley has sharpened the concentration of those at the helm towards more immediate goals.

But, then again, Wenger is always looking to the next game. Some may believe it a cliche trotted out by a manager seeking to avoid locking horns with journalists at press conferences but Wenger has never been one to pause from the present and single out individual achievement, least of all his own.

Ten events that defined Arsene Wenger's Arsenal reign

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He is against the Ballon D’Or because of the selfish attitude it promotes. He doesn’t like golf, except for the Ryder Cup when the sport morphs into a team event. He does not display his medals and trophies; upon winning his last two Premier League Manager of the Month awards, in March and October 2015, he gave the gongs to his PA and told her to auction them off for charity.

One agent who enjoys a longstanding relationship with Wenger told me how the Frenchman laughed as he listened to the story of one senior player turning to another after Wenger had spent his first training session outlining how training and dietary plans would change irrevocably and declared: “I give this bloke a week.”

Asked if Wenger allowed himself to reminisce even in a private exchange, the agent said “I quickly became aware I was doing all the talking” and the conversation moved back to contemporary events. Wenger regularly attends club dinners hosting major corporate sponsors and those in his company speak of an engaging presence with a thirst for conversation on anything to do with football as long as the focus does not shift too much on himself.

Having engaged with him on a weekly basis for almost 10 years, I too have seen first-hand how he repeatedly sidesteps questions on his personal emotion.

He has shunned several offers to release an autobiography, waiting instead until he has retired to avoid distractions for those under his employ.

Wenger is an eternal optimist. He described his motivation in typically eloquent terms this week, claiming he is “nourished by a naive belief in human beings”.

Those who feel he is painted as unduly altruistic would point out his £8million-a-year salary but while he has indeed been well remunerated for his loyalty, he has a sincere adherence to wholesome principles of betterment which stand as a beacon against the murky backdrop exposed in newspaper stories elsewhere this week.

Arsenal have ceded control of the club to Wenger — and there have undoubtedly been times when mistakes were made and inertia in the transfer market held them back — but he is still there because he felt it right to reciprocate that trust as the best man to take them forward.

What motivates him to continue is the prospect of a brighter future, that in the next game his team will provide at least another glimpse of what he craves most: football played in its purest, idyllic form.

The ambitious vision of moving to Emirates Stadium centred on Arsenal cementing their position as a powerhouse of European football competing for Premier League and Champions League titles on a regular basis. They are not there yet.

The FA may yet test his ambition and the England job is an intriguing option for Wenger, who has a heartfelt affection for English football. His determination to succeed remains strong. Those close to Wenger describe a man who believes standing still is suicide. And optimists believe the most certain way to succeed is to always try one more time. So why would Wenger look back when he feels there is much more to come?

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