After another disappointing season for the gunners, the Arsenal fan base has yet again taken a long hard look at iconic manager Arsene Wenger. Amid revitalized efforts to force Wenger into parting ways with the club by a growing sect of arsenal fans, the boss has parried accusations that he will leave in the summer saying ‘I do not want to comment on that – I always respect my contract’. His current contract is set to end in May 2017 and with that date looming ever closer it does pose the question, will he sign an extension? And if not, who is there to replace him?
In recent times the more vocal of Wenger’s critics have called for his replacement to be current Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, others have condemned the club for allowing Pep Guardiola to join Manchester City in the summer. With Klopp’s Liverpool slumping to eight in the league, and Guardiola having a track record of short tenures, I suggest that neither would have been suitable replacements for Arsene. However there are still options available…
Diego Simeone is a name that makes most arsenal fans mouths water and hearts race, and for all the right reasons. The fiery Argentine boasts five honors with his current club Atletico Madrid, including the Europa league and the famous La Liga triumph in the 2013/14 season; snatching the Spanish crown away from giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. In many fans eyes he has everything they feel Wenger has lacked in the past few years: passion, determination, reactive tactics but above all a burning desire to win. But can he replicate his success with the current arsenal line up and in an arguably more competitive league?
The other name on every Arsenal fan’s tongue of course, is German national team coach, Joachim Löw. He’s proven to everybody that he can deliver on the grandest stage of them all, when Germany lifted the World Cup in Rio De Janeiro back in 2014. After two World Cups and two European championship tournament entries Löw has never finished outside of the top three teams, cementing his ability and consistency. With the German coach being linked with a move to Everton in the summer, is it already too late for Arsenal to make their move? Would he be able to repeat his national success at club level?
Only time can tell what Arsene Wenger’s future holds, whether he will in fact see out his contract in front of the Gunners, and if so, whether his last season will be the triumphant swan song the club, the fans, and he deserves.
