How Arsene Wenger changed English Football.
Considered as a legend in football world,Wenger has contributed to the league more than you know.His training methods & drills are still deeply studied in the lower tiers of English football.The Frenchman won 4 league titles(1996,1998,2002 & 2004),6 FA cups & led Arsenal to a Champions League final in 2006.His most notable contribution is the golden Premier League or 'The Invincibles’. These are some of the ways in which Wenger changed the English game.
- Revamped Training Methods
Shortly after he was appointed in 1996,he changed the dynamics of training.He saw that the players didn’t have specific drills to counter their weakness.Before his arrival, English teams used to focus on cycling and other aspects to improve stamina and lung capacity but with Wenger’s presence different drills were implemented to improve the players overall game.
Before heading into the first training session, almost every player was not sure what to expect from the Frenchman’s methods on the pitch. In fact, they had no idea what to do when Arsene introduced his innovative drills in the training sessions,he came with the innovative stopwatches with sequential passing drills to improve fluidity in the game.
The ball possession was the key to Wenger’s module. He wanted perfection in that department and he would try his utmost best to get it out of his players.
2. Diet Changes at the Club
Wenger’s time in Japan had a great influence on him.He was inspired by the food he had eaten & believed that the diet played a major role in players performance.He started the trend of banning stuff like alcohol and other leverage drinks out of their menu.He ordered the club cafeteria to stop serving burgers and chips and replace it with fish or chicken, mashed potatoes, and steamed vegetables. Even the apple pie for the dessert was made healthier by scrapping the custard.
3. Style Of Play
Before Arsene Wenger, Arsenal was a team that was built on being a solid unit. The defensive and pragmatic approach was never approved by thier fans.Wenger knew that the Gunners wanted to play an attractive style of football and ditch the old system.
Arsenal relied on long diagonal balls under Wenger which was useful in switching the play as well as in starting a counter attack. but they also managed to play some of the best frightening and quick passing games which brought the fans to the edge of their seat. Wenger started to win the fans approval,the long ball game took a major turn once he signed Denis Bergkamp which allowed the Dutchman to be the focal point of every attack they created.
The result of this beautiful brand of football? Possibly the greatest Premier League side ever lived in 2003/04 when they went the entire season unbeaten i.e. Invincibles.
4. Giving Youth a Chance
One of the greatest aspects that Arsene Wenger brought through was his progression with the academy.Arsene showed the world the potential of Arsenal’s academy as well as brought through some of the finest French talents to the club.
Vieira was then little more than a promising 20-year-old who was coming off an unsuccessful stint at AC Milan.Nicolas Anelka, Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie, Cesc Fabregas, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertasacker were some of the other names that brought through the team and wrote their names into the fabric of Arsenal FC history.
5. The Emergence of Foreign Managers.
When Arsene Wenger came to the Premier League in 1996, only him and Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit were the only non-British managers in the League. The Premier League was always difficult to adapt,and many managers did not prefer the move as it might tarnish their reputation. Arsene Wenger paved the way for numerous non-British managers to become greats in English football.
Nowadays the Premier League is dominated by the foreign managers,the impact is so big that no English manager has won the Premier League since its inception.
Currently there are only 7 English managers present in the Premier League.
