Wenger's Legacy

Out of the inevitable media furore surrounding Jose Mourinho’s latest offering to the world it makes it all the more rewarding that we have a manager with the class and articulacy of Wenger.

Whilst Chelsea have acquired  themselves an undoubtedly top manager that is all that they have. They have bought the services of a ruthless mercenary, who has, despite his subsequent u-turn proven his disloyalty in the pursuit of personal gain.

What we have is a pioneer, a spokesman, a manager and an inspirational figure who has almost single-handedly kept the club solvent whilst having to jeopardise his own personal legacy for the greater good of a club he loves.

Like Ferguson at United, upon Wenger’s retirement you can expect something lasting to be built in his honour. When Mourinho leaves Chelsea will the club be affected? Emotionally, perhaps, as has overseen some of Chelsea’s more successful years, but in the annals of history he will be Mourinho the manager, not Mourinho the great man.

Chapman, Busby, Clough, Ferguson, Wenger are the names that reserve chapters in the history books, Mourinho is but a footnote for each club he has charged his services for.

What Wenger has done is oversee a transition from great team (invincibles 2004) to resurgent title contenders with the small task of helping to finance one of the largest stadiums in Europe. Whenever the going gets tough for Mourinho you can expect him to be on his way amidst ‘issues’ with the owners or chairmen. This has happened too many times to be a coincidence and what is apparent is that, like last week, Mourinho is an expert at diverting attention away from what he does not feel comfortable discussing.

Besides how special can ‘the special one’ be when Benitez and Roberto Di Matteo both won European trophies for Chelsea?

In this age of social media success is often measured in microcosms, monthly, weekly, even daily. Mourinho can bring success in the short term, however his destructive character and inability to integrate and nurture players from an academy level means that he requires steady injections of cash into his projects to make them feasible. Wenger has brought in young players from around the world and from Arsenal’s back garden, created (not just bought) global superstars and has helped create a club that is self-sustaining for long-term success long after Abramovich and Mourinho can no longer help Chelsea.