If the current ruling autocrat does indeed remain at Arsenal FC beyond this season he will not be changing his leadership style. Arsene Wenger made it clear that he will not be delegating any authority to anybody, should his regime (a reign of terror to many Gunners supporters) continue.
The Frenchman will maintain a power structure that is extremely centralized around himself.
At least that’s what he says publicly, and it may just actually be posturing for the cameras.
Behind the scenes, it doesn’t appear that he’s going to really have the option to keep his authority centralized. ESPN FC reports that Wenger:
has been told he must accept a radical overhaul of his backroom staff and the structure of the club if he wants to remain in charge for another two years,
Sources have said that the delay in making a decision on the future of Wenger, who is out of contract in the summer, has been due to an internal move to try and ease the control he has built up over his two decades in charge
Wenger maintains that he will not hire a football director.
“I don’t know what director of football means,” Wenger said at his news conference ahead of Arsenal’s clash with Southampton tonight. “It is somebody who stands in the road and directs play right and left? I don’t understand and I never did understand what it means.”
Arsene Wenger was pressed on his future with the club (and again said nothing of informative value on that topic) and on possible restructuring at the club. The Frenchman was obstinate, maintaining that if he stays at The Emirates, the buck will stop with him.
“No, no, no. Sorry, no. I’m not prepared to talk about that,” Wenger responded when asked about any potential restructuring.
“I’m the manager of Arsenal football club and as long as I’m manager of Arsenal football club I will decide what happens on the technical front. That’s it.”
The ESPN report claims that Arsene Wenger has a two year extension on the table, and that he’s known about that since January. This will go over like a lead balloon with many Arsenal supporters.
The article also states that club chairman Sir Chips Keswick and chief executive Ivan Gazidis are working towards a new future, once Wenger has departed, with the goal of putting together a completely new structure for the club.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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