Arsene Wenger has just been given a new £6m-A-Year contract, and a 20% pay rise by Arsenal.
Wenger is now the second highest paid Premier League boss, behind Carlo Ancelotti.
Only Jose Mourinho who won the treble with Inter Milan last season, has a better deal Ancelotti and then Wenger. Jose is on a reported £8.5m annually.
But what has Wenger done “recently” to justify this massive pay rise?
Arsenal and Wenger have not won anything since 2005, a football manager should be judged on success on the football pitch, not by how much money he makes or saves the club.
Yes Wenger has done a very good job financially for the club, So it could be argued a rise is warranted quite easily. But is it a football managers job to do this? Wenger has a degree in Economics but he is not an accountant, and you dont need to have this skill to be a great fooball manager.
Wengers job is getting the best out of his players and getting the footballing tactics right on the pitch. Something he has NOT done since 2005.
Its the boards job to do all the off field stuff isn’t it?
Would you rather have a manager like Jose Mourinho who is nothing more then a football manager and wants nothing more then to be the best and loves winning titles.
Or do you feel that being a football manager isn’t all about winning? The manager has some responsibility to making sure the club are financially secure, it’s in the long term interest of the club. And the wenger way of balancing the books comes first.
If that is the case then our next manager should be Alan Suger or Theo Paphitis, and they can carry on Wengers policy of treating the club as a business and making sure that we make a profit each year.
Personally I feel that a football manager should be responsible for on the field matters, tactics and getting the best out of his players and its down to the board room to worry about the rest.
I really cant see why and how Arsenal have rewarded Wenger with a massive pay rise for underachieving and failure.
I guess it depends what your goals are? If you want to win things then Wenger has done a poor job since 2005.
If you want to make a massive profit then Wenger has done a great job and the £115,000 a week wages is well worth it. Well at the end of the day he helped make it didn’t he. Maybe that’s why he never spends?
Prior to 2005 Wenger was a football manager, Now he cares about one thing, PROFIT! And that’s why he is being rewarded with his massive pay rise.
What do you think? debate this more on our forum (HERE)
Sinbad
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Wenger has lead the club to the Champions League every season and finished in the top four. He has balanced the books and made a profit during the most exorbitant spending spree in football history. He has set the club up for future success by building a new stadium and developed the youth ranks to be the best in the Premier League. He is the best manager in England. He deserves the money.
Thanks, I’d been meaning to do a Newsnow block on Arsenal Action for a while, and that post gives me the prompt I needed – so seeya, enjoy your rather pointless blog.
what’s funny is that you specifically say a football club shouldn’t be judged on money, yet in the same post you criticise wenger for getting paid too much. if money and profit are irrelevant, then why does it matter what he is on?
Disgusting blog from a very ignorant and immature fan…
Probably has been ‘following’ Arsenal since 2002 and never been to a game…
Go and support Man City you are a disgrace!
It is rather hypocritical when he in the same breath says that we cant afford high wages.But as i have said a million times over and over again,Arsene is not in it to win trophies anymore he is in it to make Arsenal a comfortable business every year and he is doing that so the board adores him and pays him accordingly.
just been the clubs most successful ever manager.
Honestly, what’s it to you? Does it make a difference to you, as a fan, how much Wenger is getting paid? If it does, then you seriously have to re-evaluate your priorities. and learn to be thankful that he’s still with Arsenal.
I’d say that ignoring c0cks like you is worth that 20% rise alone
I agree with the other respondents – you are a glory seeker not a fan. If you call Wenger’s reign failure, you are a nutter (being polite). Not only is he managing the team, but he’s managing to do it and bring on the academy of youngsters at the same time with the financial constraints of moving to a new stadium whils thte likes of Man City and Chelsea are spending hundreds of millions. When the academy graduates are fully in the team, and the stadium is paid off, then we will have an advantage over everyone…
nothing wrong with making a profit but that profit must be spent on the team. so far the profit is being used on paying wenger’s wages and lavished on a team of losers. the team and wenger do not deserve wage rises while they are losing.
Saw this news earlier today and knew that before the day was out you’d be going mental about this.
He’s not about making profit (we DON’T pay shareholders any dividends at all), it’s about not saddling the club with unmanagable debt and then if one year we failed to reach the Champions League we would be screwed. You just don’t get it do you?
I’m with you 26May1989, only I find this blog quite funny these days, like that guy who had the “leave Britney alone!” rant on YouTube!
Because Arsene Wenger is the best manager Arsenal has ever had. Full stop! What I particularly like about the club is being sensible and not buying success. If you want to be there in the long run finances are also important. And don’t forget, he has lead the club to the Champions League every season. Trophies will come soon, believe me.
There are some double standards in your piece, as jimbo etc. have already pointed out.
But also there is unfairness there. We have been entertaining and at the very least competitive since 2005 in my opinion. And Im just as annoyed and disappointed as you are that we havent added trophies since.
Arsene Wenger is a club manager, Mourinho is a head coach. There are differences between the two positions. AW will depart the club eventually, and in my opinion will depart a club in perfect health. Not just financially, but in lots of other ways too. Id love to see the state of a club that tries to be self-sustained managed by Mourinho. He would leave a mess of over-paid, old players after him.
You dont like Wenger, and are perfectly entitled to your opinion, but is it not a little early to be complaining? I really think that for now, you should just get behind the team!
Yeah, let’s ignore the financial doping shall we? Ignore everything else in the game but just look at the basic figures and conclude that Wenger gets too much because he hasn’t won anything, top analysis there.
Wenger is one of the top earners in the world because *shock* he is one of the best managers in the world, not perfect but certainly one of the few who could keep us competitive during the last few years (regardless of the semantics of what ‘competitive’ is, we’ve done a lot better than most clubs, including those that regularly outspend us).
He was given the pay rise because that’s how football works these days – every new contract is rewarded with a pay rise, if you don’t give a pay rise it’s as if the management does not have faith in you. Personally, I don’t understand why Wenger was offered a contract at all – the board should have left it, which might have given Wenger something to think about.
What you fail to realise is that most “managers” are in fact only head coaches who deal only in training(altho some dont do this) and on field activities. Arsene Wenger as well as controlling all training sessions, overseas and remains in close and daily touch with all underage levels at the club finetuning their development so that they can easily integrate with all progressive levels up to the senior team. He also closely oversees our renowned scouting global network and spends hours reviewing video footage from leagues worldwide.
Most importantly AW also manages the football club itself which Mourinho or Ferguson have never had to do hence their overspending and shortcomings regarding debt and violations of the new UEFA ffp rules respectively.
AW has been criticised for his use of youth yet he was ahead of the curve yet again and Arsenal have no issues arising out of the new homegrown and squad limitation rules. Man city are in the shit because of it. Awesome new stadium without dropping out of the champions Leaue due to the financial restrictions caused by it. New Training complex that is the envy of every other club and a must have for The national team when they meet up which by the way was designed to AW’s specifications down to the tables and cutlery in the dining rooms.
Attention to detail including mobile catering facilities taken everywhere that they travel to including internationally to ensure quality of nutrition and health for the players.
And you complain that he doesn’t do enough to warrant a pay rise when he has generated so much for the club?
You are a fucking moron and this blog is one of the shittiest on the net and that is a well defended title. Your probl;em is that your intelligence level doesn’t comprehend all that is encompassed in running a football club. You only measure success in terms of shiny pots because no doubt financial matters confuse you and like most fans you would rather not hear about them as long as star players signed each year to help win trophies. Man Utd fans used to think like that and now they see almost £800 million od debt with the drain circling closer and Rooney going the same way as Ronaldo in 2 yeards max.
Liverpool fans used to think like you and now unless they can find some magical buyer who like you doesn’t understand finance whilst having enough of it to overpay for the clubb , rebuild the team, and pay for a new stadium, they are facing administration in october on behalf of a bank that has already been nationalised which will result in points deduction and the threat of relegation and the path of Leeds.Arsene Wenger is UNDERPAID and you are a fucking idiot whose posts only surprise because they are not written in crayon.
Finally we’ve reached the watershed moment when every Gooner realises that Sinbad is a snivelling little wind-up merchant.
Bless you all.
Except you Sinbad, of course. You’re an arse.
Don’t knock it Sinbad, be honest if A W left you’d have nothing to moan about, now go sit in the corner drink your sour milk and work on tomorrows whinge!!
More than you’ve done to justify our attention.
in 2003 when work on the emirates had stopped for 12 days and the club was two weeks away from administration he let them sell patrick viera (also the reason for the crap emirates naming deal) and he worked on alow budget and never moaned and went to the press crying about his board of directors like mourinho and benitez over transfer money,so give him a break this time,were stuck with him either way
If I should choose between Wenger and Mourinho it would be Wenger. NO doubt. The main reason is that he is a football man. He wants teams to play football and not anti football.
If money has nothing to with football then why is it a problem with Wenger wage ?
Chelsea would perhaps be in the first division had it not been the money ? So perhaps money have a lot to say.
Fan been following Arsenal since 1972. And what a change since AW arrived. Best signing ever for Arsenal. (and football in Europe.)
Don’t mug yourself off mate.How long have you supported The Arsenal,I will guarantee it’s not more than 12 years.
Can’t understand the flak you are getting for what is I think an excellent article. Your point is well put and spot on.
The board of Directors are there to manage the club financially (what else do they do for their money?) It is not Wenger’s responsibility. His job is to achieve success on the field, which we all know he has failed to do for 5 years. By all means put him on the board and get in a tactical and motivational coach – preferably with a new right hand man.
Some people are paranoic over any criticism of Arsene Wenger – weird!
Wow, how to even respond to this load. Regular top 4 finishing, new stadium (that I may never see in person, but still a big deal), real stability (Man City will implode, see Liverpool), actually being in the race and competitive at all levels…I guess right, what the f*ck has Wegner done to deserve his pay. Frankly, from where I’m sitting, he appears horribly UNDERPAID for all he brings to the table. And don’t get me wrong, I want a new GK, but not at the expense of mortgaging the Club’s future. Your post makes it sound that Wegner is almost trying to lose and that the choice is financial irresponsibility or winning; I believe Mr. Wegner has proved (pretty emphatically) that that is a false choice.
AW has turned this club into the most financially stable Prem club. Yes we all want trophies and success which has eludede us for 5 years, but we have very little debt, fantastic youth system, arguably one of the most attractive football styles accross Europe and the future is indeed very bright. We are in a better position with AW than without, so stop fuxxxxg moaning, and answer me this! would you rather we had a Carling cup win, or an FA cup trophy in recent years and be borderline insolvent! like Pompey for example.
If you a real arsenal fan, stop posting shit like this and get behind the manager you fucking imbicile.
What an idiot. It is the board’s job to do all the off-field stuff. What makes you think Wenger wouldn’t like the club to spend more money? The manager targets players and asks the chief executive / board to acquire them. He’s not writing cheques. What manager would have gotten more out of the players we have (playing 2/3rds of each season)?
Arsene Wenger has accomplished in his one lifetime what you others cannot do even if given 10 lifetimes. He is the only manager in England that plans 10 years ahead and sees it to fruiton.
RENOOGAMI – you’ve got it all backwards….
Why don’t you go and support Chelsea you cunt!
We don’t need people like you that don’t have a clue.
HYPOCRITE, HYPOCRITE, HYPOCRITE.
He starves the club of star players that can be bought in the transfer citing money as the main reason yet he’s happy to accept a huge increase to his already huge salary, wanker!!
this is a watershed for me, today is the day you get ignored on newsnow.
the ramblings of a spoilt child will no longer trouble me.
My god did a man city fan actually have the time to set up this load of utter rubish. Its actually not even worth responding. Utter BS
We’ve hardly spent a penny since we moved to the emirates yet we have still remained competetive on all fronts, reached semi finals and challeged for the league (faded at the end-but due to injuries). Wenger ain’t tight he just aint had the money available but wont come out and say it in public. He’s a fantastic manager and will leave us in good shape when he does decide to leave!!! A few trophies would be nice but we’ve been punching above our weight for a long time now. Things have changed in the PL and it’s harder than ever to win.
You obviously support the wrong club if you don’t subscribe to AW’s philosophy.
Go support Man City or Chelski if that makes you happier.
What have the Romans ever done for us?
You’re straight out of Monty Python mate. What’s he done?????????????????????
Are you Paul Merson???
Anyone calling for his head is spoilt and naive!! Be happy we’re still a top team and will be for a long time!! The trophies will come and all the Wenger bashing wont help nothing. To find a manager who might have a better chance at wininig something (which is only mourinho)would cost us more than what wenger gets. Nuff said!! Stop ur moaning you spoilt little bratzzz!!
if you don’t know what he’s done to deserve the money, it’s no use trying to explain it to you.
idiotic post, as so many have pointed out.
If securiing the clubs future for years to come isnt worth him getting a raise the board should go.
Trophy’s are never guaranteed during that 5year period of no cash we challenged for the CL all the way to the final and challenged for the league at least twice. You wanted hits.. well you got it .. I assure you I wont be back again. Everyone wants trophy s . But i also want the club to be around playing in the highest tier for years to come.. Many teams have fallen from grace during Wengers tenure and plighted in economical misery . I know this club will be around long enough to go to games with my son when he grows up.
I needed this comic relief.
Thanks!
arsenal is stil a top four team in england despite moving to an new stadium, something no other club or manager has achived. he has a large profit in almost evry transferwindow and he knows how to make things the arsenal way. all in all he is a top manager and they are expensive in todays football. Wenger knows
I see the usual shit for brains are slaughtering you for daring to critisise the lord Wenger. I remember when this club was bigger than any manager or board member and when trophies was something others won. Now Wenger is Arsenal and he has every board member and crentinous twat fan eating out of his arse. 6.5 million per year he is a very clever man I give him that but as a football manager he is best remembered for his Higbury days.I’m not fussed about trophies but this worship of Wenger is just sickening. Half the twats that spout their aggresive defence of him probably only started supporting this great club when Wenger won his first trophy. Fucking parasites and Wenger worshippers its them who should fuck off and support another club where they can fall in love with the manager.
I think you should pose that question to Arsenal FC-I am sure they will have all the answers you need. I think they might have a better idea of how to gauge the success of their manager.
It’s interesting to note that Dave refers to Arsene Wenger’s supporters as “shit for brains”, “crentinous (sic) twats”, “fucking parasites” and so on as he complains about their “aggressive defence” of a thoroughly decent man! How does football produce people like Dave and our blogger Sinbad? What makes them so angry? They have a superb team to watch, wonderful players developing before their eyes week in, week out. Would they rather support a buy-it-in outfit like Man City, or Chelsea than see their club build a great team? Certainly, a great team cannot be a definite outcome of any generation but it’s surely part of the enjoyment, seeing it come together, hoping for its success, agonising over its defeats and celebrating its victories. Football is a grown up sport, after all…
He manages Arsenal with its long-term future as a priority.
Is there another manager in the world that doesn’t put his ego ahead of the interests of his club? Do you think Jose Mourino cares one whit about Real Madrid, or Ancelotti anything of Chelsea? Of course they don’t. They have no investment in the long-term future of these clubs. Wenger is different.
What AW has done these last five years is kept us competitive in the PL and CL while minimizing the financial problems of the Emirates’ move (and recession) which are now affecting other big clubs.
Look at ManU, Liverpool, and Barcelona? They are financially f*cked. Really f*cked. Yet we’ve managed to remain a top 8 European club all this time.
Sure, we’ve not won anything recently, but there were near-misses and almosts and could-have – should-have beens. All while playing in a way that reflected the best the the game can offer.
Of course, for some silverware is everything. We got spoiled by the early Wenger successes – the last Highbury years and The Invincibles. But silverware isn’t the only thing. It shares the stage with pride.
Arsene Wenger has made me proud of my team every single year he’s been its manager. And the value of that is priceless.
Without Arsene Arsenal would not be in the excellent position in the league and finances as they are today, worth every penny IMO.
the trophy drought also coincided with the stadium move and acquisition of huge debt. something i think his prudence probably helped to get us through it and come out in the position we’re in. we look a bigger and stronger institution every year. and while he may not be delivering trophies now he will certainly leave a legacy to last a lifetime.
Bit like asking what the Romans have ever done for us, isn’t it?
What kind of muppet says that it is not the manager’s job to manage the club’s finances and believes that this represents an argument against Wenger! I’m talking to Renogamo here. it is because of his financial acumen that he deserves the money… the man makes Arsenal a profit each year… money that goes towards repaying our debt! Fool.
You appear to think that Arsenal would be better off with some trophies but broke or the plaything of some Russian billionaire? Are you even a fan? Some of you guys are so stupid I wonder how you manage to breathe unaided… Wenger has managed to keep Arsenal in the Champions’ League for 13 straight seasons, he has the lowest budget of any of the Top six clubs in England, He arrived when Arsenal were glad to have Glen Helder and now we moan about Internationals like Asharvin! The man has never once moaned in the Press about anything even when he could and even should have moaned, he has been loyal to the club rejecting everyone from Barca to Real to Bayern Munich… clubs with a richer pedigree than Arsenal where he would have earned more and had more to spend! How many of the moaners on here would turn down the equivalent iof Real Madrid in their day jobs??
He has changed the whole ethos of the club from the way we play to the way we train…
Most sane people would say that Wenger salary represents value for money on every possible level… and the idiots who talk about spending money… why don’t you tell us how much Villa, Tottenham, Liverpool, etc have spent?… and what have they won??
Why do so many fools choose to blog about Arsenal? What a clown…
You’re the sort of person who thought Ridsdale did a good job at Leeds. Go support City