Arsenal: To rebuild or not to rebuild?

Arsenal: To rebuild or not to rebuild?

Arsene Wenger is without doubt a brilliant soccer manager who has gained numerous trophies in three clubs in as many countries. Why then has he not won a major trophy in the Premiership in England since 2005? Part of the answer could well be seen in the fate of his best two players, Fabregas and Nasri...set to leave the London club before the season gets under way.

As a player, Arsene Wenger (defender) won the French League with RC Strasbourg in 1979. As a manager, he won the French League in 1988 with AS Monaco and in 1991, the French Cup with the same club. His attacking teams attracted the attention of the international community and he was contracted by Japanese side Nagoya Grampus, where he won the Emperor's Cup and Japanese Super Cup in 1996.

The style of play and the policy of injecting young players into his teams awakened the interest of the English Premier League...namely Arsenal FC, where he won the Premier League title in 1997-1998; 2001-2002; 2003-2004, the FA Cup in 1998, 2003 and 2005 and the Community Shield in 1998, 1999, 2002 and 2004.

His other awards are impressive: IFFHS Manager of the decade (2011), French manager of the year (1998, 2008), J. League manager of the year (2005), Onze d'Or manager of the year 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, Premier League Manager of the Year 1998, 2002, 2004...

Now that Arsenal FC captain Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri threaten to leave the London club, is Arsene Wenger's future going to be based around whether he contracts new foreign players or uses the club's youth policy?

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru