Well I've just finished watching Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island. During the film I couldn't help but draw parallels between Leonardo DiCaprio's lead character and Arsene Wenger's descent into psychosis. Well maybe not, the film's protagonists madness is caused by murder, deception and betrayal... Wenger's has been caused by English Football...
In October 1996 Wenger became Arsenal manager. During these early years of his reign the English press and footballing community were amazed by his temperament. There were no tea cups being smashed, no hairdryer treatment and no incoherent rantings coming from the Arsenal bench. Wenger due to his calmness and intellectualising of the game became known as le professuer.
So what happened? Wenger since his quiet professorial start has now become a combative and volatile character. The firsts signs of his madness were in 2004 when he had to be stopped by an official during a game against Manchester United (please see exhibit A). This was also the game of the "Pizzagate" incident and the one when in the post match conference Wenger called United striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy a cheat. After the invincible's were defeated Wenger was a changed man...
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| Exhibit A |
In the 2006-2007 season. In this season he had disagreements with Chelsea Manager Jose Mourinho, West Ham's Alan Pardew and Spurs Boss Martin Jol. With latter two being physical confrontations. Please see Exhibit B and C.
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| Exhibit B |
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| Exhibit C |
With Mourinho it was more verbal jousting about who is and isn't a voyeur or something like that... But things between the pair were escalated in 2007 when Arsenal lost in the Carling Cup Final. Wenger's bloodlust obtained from his two earlier fights reappeared (please see exhibit C) when there was a mass brawl after the match.
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| Exhibit C |
That season was also the season when he was quoted as saying "I think this guy should never play football again. What's he doing on the pitch?" he said, adding: "I've gone along with the idea for a long time that to stop Arsenal, you have to kick Arsenal. I knew that was coming for a long time now." This was about Martin Taylor who broke Eduardo's leg. Now fair enough the tackle was a bad one but for the opposition manager to advocate a life ban and suggest there is a conspiracy against his team is a bit crazy.
His next managerial foe would be Mark Hughes Manchester City manager at the time. Again he refused to shake hands with his opponent. But this wasn't the worst. This is the incident where Arsene Wenger snapped... This was a match against rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford, Arsenal were losing and Wenger was getting frustrated. Then it happened Wenger was sent off by the referee for kicking a water bottle in anger. He was sent to the stand and Exhibit D became the representation of that incident.
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| Exhibit D |
Mr Wenger who was a mild mannered footballing professional (please see exhibit E) has been turned into an angry, volatile football manager by the effects of English football (Exhibit F). I think working in the same league as Sir Alex Ferguson would probably do this to most people. What I find interesting is the contrasting nature of Wenger when he first joined Arsenal and this new aggressive and confrontational Arsene Wenger.
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| Exhibit E |
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| Exhibit F |
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