Dear Wenger, Thank You for the Memories.

Arsene Wenger given a guard of honour by the players before the Burnley match. 
Photo: arsenal.com

The journey of 22 years of rigorous and active life as the head coach of Arsenal, will come to a close on Sunday, 13th May 2018, when Arsene Wenger will formally resign as manager of Arsenal Football Club. To this end, the club along with its teeming supporters held a memorial in recognition of his many years of meritorious service to the club last Sunday.

It was filled with many fans adorning T-shirts with the inscription: #merciArsene literally meaning thank you Arsene. Those words aptly describe the emotions on display at the beautiful ceremony held at the iconic Emirates Stadium, which holds it's very existence to the grit and determination of Wenger.

Arsenal players wearing the special commemorating T-shirt

Many of those supporting the club today, made that decision largely due to the football philosophy of Wenger. They did so because of the beautiful and mesmerising way he developed the game. Football at Highbury, (and then later at Emirates) was not just about beating the opponent by outscoring them, it was so much more.

Arguably, Arsenal's greatest ever manager, Wenger has been able to create a brand of football that was hitherto unknown in England. His teams are characterized by a solid defence, a powerful midfield and a mesmerising attack. Admittedly he saw more success in the first decade of his Arsenal career than he did in the latter stages. But that alone cannot be the basis on which this legend of the game would be judged.

Wenger has the ability to purchase ordinary players in their youths and transform them to superstars through his careful man management. Football icons like Thiery Henry, Patrick Viera, Nicholas Anelka, Martin Keown, Robert Pires , Kolo Toure, Cesc Fabrigas, Jack Wilshere, Emmanuel Adebayor, to name a few, owe him their fame. And this was a contributing factor to his success.

Arsene Wenger's invisible team of 2003/04 was the first team in the premier league era to go an entire season undefeated.

Off the field, he is credited with helping the club fund the construction of a new training ground, by selling one of his star player at the time (Nicholas Anelka) to raise the needed fund. The Emirates Stadium was also built largely because he agreed to sell his big name stars yearly, to fund the repayment of the loan taken to construct it. This and many more, were the sacrifices he had to make to support the development of a club he loved so much.

As he prepares to finally bid goodbye to the club after his heart, many would agree that he is indeed a father figure at the club. To this end, the golden 2004 invisible trophy awarded him by the club as a parting gift can only be seen as a befitting present considering that he was the orchestra behind perhaps the greatest moment in the history of the club.