Arsene Wenger can build another team of Invincibles - but only if he leaves Arsenal for PSG
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There is one last trick Arsene Wenger should have up his sleeve for when his reign in charge of Arsenal ends.
He should be handed the plum managerial job at Paris Saint-Germain.
Then he should get to work spending all of their lovely money on creating another wonder-team – without having to worry about economics, stadium building, politics, youth development, ticket prices, global strategy, match day revenue, corporate marketing or any of the other off-the-pitch business stuff that seems to interest him as much as football, as in the played-on-grass for enjoyment variety.
His brow has been furrowed long enough. He is taking a load of stick which is unedifying for him and Arsenal’s fans in the extreme.
The banners calling for him to quit were out again on Thursday night during the defeat of West Brom, a game at which there appeared to be around 10,000 empty seats with fans opting to stay away from the Emirates.
He is also highly unlikely ever to bring the Premier League title to the Emirates, after failing again this season – and appearing decidedly depressed and anguished by it after last Sunday’s draw with Crystal Palace.
But PSG could offer him one final challenge where he could simply set about achieving one last landmark and bring France – who invented the competition – its first European Cup.
He could even create another team of Invincibles there because, in France’s Ligue One at least, it seems harder for PSG to lose games than win them.
They’ve been beaten only twice this season while running away with the championship, which they currently lead by 28 points. And one of those defeats came against Monaco in March in the week after the title had already been secured.
So come on, Arsene? Just get back home and make a football team, money no object and packed with brilliant players. Pick who you want and send the money men out to get them.
Then send them out to do their stuff like Arsenal used to do. No manager in England ever produced a team quite as dazzling as the one which featured Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and the rest romping across the land, even if it was over a decade ago.
Now he should go and do it again and let someone else worry about the boardroom and the office and the marketing suite and the angle of the shower heads in the changing room, or whatever it is that has to be so detailed in this modern football era.
The game would love to see if he can still pull that off. It would be delighted to know if he can do again it just by buying, coaching, tactics, inspiration and talent.
And I believe the whole sport would wish him success and hope that he can work his innovative magic once again, even as he heads towards 70.
Rest assured. The Qataris who own PSG can look after the money and the business side.
And if Wenger held any reservations about the finances which have finally made the French capital a significant club football city, well, Arsenal, with their sky-high ticket prices, hardly seems like a workers co-operative just now.
True enough, he’s been careful with the Gunners wealth in the transfer market. There are piles of it in the bank at present. But let’s just say that saving up is not the priority of the men who have bought PSG. No, they’ll spend whatever it takes to get to the top.
Okay, all this is theoretical. But it is certainly realistic to believe that the Wenger era in north London will come to an end soon – even if he chooses when it will be rather than those disgruntled fans who want him out now.
The most satisfactory and dignified scenario would be for him to see out his current contract, which expires at the end of 2016/17.
That would take him past the milestone of being in charge of the club for 20 years, which he will achieve in October. Perhaps he could even have a successor working alongside him for the final season.
Such situations easily turn into minefields. But surely Arsenal have to avoid the kind of convulsion which has engulfed Manchester United since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson after 26 years in 2013?
Come the end of 2016/17, Wenger could head off to the Parc des Princes for a magnificent swansong with some of the world’s best players at his disposal.
Even if PSG really are considering replacing the current coach, Laurent Blanc, with Jose Mourinho this summer, he’ll be gone again quickly enough, given his record at his former clubs.
Theoretical or not, this idea about a switch to PSG for Le Professeur makes a point about modern-day Arsenal and their current troubles, anyway.
It is that Wenger and the club itself seems too wrapped up in other matters and other priorities to make the final push required to end the 12-year-wait for a championship.
Many fans are more convinced than ever that the majority shareholder Stan Kroenke is very happy indeed to let the place tick over and keep delivering income in the style of so many American sporting “franchises.”
This rather puts Wenger on the spot. It engulfs him in what appears an almighty corporate rip-off to those fans who are paying the highest ticket prices in England to watch a team which failed to deliver yet again.
We are often told that he is disdainful and concerned about the ways of modern football and its finances.
It was the injection of private wealth at Chelsea and then Manchester City which knocked Wenger off the triumphant perch he occupied after the last title success of 2004.
ArticleWenger can build another Invincibles XI, but only if he leaves ArsenalArsenal fcArsene WengerPremier LeagueParis Saint-GermainThe Arsene Wenger Arsenal Years - In pictures
The Arsene Wenger Arsenal Years - In pictures
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1/20 The Arsene Wenger years...
Getty Images
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2/20 1996/97: Wenger takes over at Highbury
After much speculation Arsenal appoint Wenger, their first manager from outside the UK
Premier League: Third
FA Cup: Fourth Round
Uefa Cup: First RoundStu Forster/Allsport/Getty Images
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3/20 1997/98: Wenger at the double
Arsenal win the double in Wenger’s first season in charge, following their 1971 success
Premier League: Champions
FA Cup: Winners
Uefa Cup: First roundBen Radford/Allsport/Getty Images
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4/20 1998/99: So close but Man United taste glory
Wenger ends the season trophyless after twice being pipped by Alex Ferguson
Premier League: Second
FA Cup: Semi Finals
Champions League: Group stageMatthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images
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5/20 1999/00: Off the pace
Arsenal finish well behind Manchester United in the league and fall early in the cups
Premier League: Second
FA Cup: Fourth Round
Champions League: Group stageAdrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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6/20 2000/01: Cup final heartbreak
Michael Owen strikes late to end their FA Cup dreams but the signing of Robert Pires heralds a bright new era for Arsenal
Premier League: Second
FA Cup: Finalists
Champions League: Quarter finalAdrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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7/20 2001/02: Double double
Wenger wins his second league and cup double as Arsenal win their last 13 league games
Premier League: Winners
FA Cup: Winners
Champions League: Second group stageShaun Botterill/Getty Images
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8/20 2002/03: Cup no consolation
Man United overhaul Arsenal in a season in which the FA Cup is not enough for this side
Premier League: Second
FA Cup: Winners
Champions League: Second group stageJohn Peters/Manchester United/Getty Images
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9/20 2003/04: Invincibles
Arsenal go unbeaten throughout a league season, the first side to do so since the 1880s
Premier League: Winners
FA Cup: Semi-finals
Champions League: Quarter finalsOdd Anderson/AFP/Getty Images
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10/20 2004/05: End of an era
Arsenal win the FA Cup in Patrick Vieira’s final season as Chelsea emerge as their new rivals
Premier League: Second
FA Cup: Winners
Champions League: Round of 16Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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11/20 2005/06: Highbury farewell
Arsenal nearly crown their last season at the Emirates with victory in the Champions League but are forced to settle for runners-up to Barcelona and Wenger’s lowest league finish
Premier League: Fourth
FA Cup: Fourth Round
Champions League: FinalistsShaun Botterill/Getty Images
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12/20 2006/07: Hard times ahead
In his final season at the club Thierry Henry led a youthful side to a creditable fourth place but the gap to Chelsea and Manchester United seemed to be growing
Premier League: Fourth
FA Cup: Fifth Round
League Cup: Finalists
Champions League: Round of 16Clive Mason/Getty Images
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13/20 2007/08: Injuries cost the Gunners
A horrifying leg break for Eduardo against Birmingham in February curtailed a season that had seen Arsenal challenge for the title
Premier League: Third
FA Cup: Fifth Round
Champions League: Quarter finalsAdrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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14/20 2008/09: Spending big again
Samir Nasri and Andrey Arshavin arrived in big money deals but a poor start left Arsenal well off the pace domestically
Premier League: Fourth
FA Cup: Semi finals
Champions League: Semi finalsAlex Livesey/Getty Images
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15/20 2009/10: Progress stalled
An impressive squad was hampered by the injuries to the likes of Robin van Persie, Tomas Rosicky and Cesc Fabregas as success continued to elude Wenger
Premier League: Third
FA Cup: Fourth Round
Champions League: Quarter finalsAdrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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16/20 2010/11: Birmingham Blues
Six years without a trophy became seventh as a calamitous mix-up between Laurent Koscielny and Wojciech Szczesny saw Birmingham win the League Cup final
Premier League: Fourth
FA Cup: Sixth Round
League Cup: Finalists
Champions League: Round of 16Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
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17/20 2011/12: Van The Man
Robin van Persie provides excitement on his way to 37 goals and the Golden Boot before departing for Manchester United in the summer.
Premier League: Third
FA Cup: Fifth Round
Champions League: Round of 16David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
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18/20 2012/13: Earning their Spurs
Arsenal hauled in their local rivals, cutting a seven point game in 10 games, to secure their customary Champions League spot
Premier League: Fourth
FA Cup: Fifth Round
Champions League: Round of 16Ian MacNicol/AFP/Getty Images
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19/20 2013/14: World-class talent brings trophies back
The arrival of Mesut Ozil brought excitement to the Emirates and a season that saw Arsenal mount a major title challenge ended with an FA Cup trophy
Premier League: Fourth
FA Cup: Winners
Champions League: Round of 16Shaun Botterill/Getty Images
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20/20 2014/15: Further progress on and off the pitch
Alexis Sanchez added more world class talent but Arsenal were once more forced to settle for cup and not league success
Premier League: Third
FA Cup: Winners
Champions League: Round of 16David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images