September 28 - Arsene About

OK so it’s a person, two words; first word, two syllables, first syllable … sounds like bum? Rear? Bottom? Arse? Yes!

Second syllable, sounds like … oh never mind. It’s Arsene Wenger, and it was on this day that cerebral old Arsene was appointed manager of the club which so nearly shares his name.

Word on the footballing streets is that Wenger got the nod from the Arsenal board after former Gunners big mouth David ‘I’m so desperate to be chairman it physically hurts’ Dein had seen him playing charades.

Dein said: “I was convinced Arsene would become our manager from the first day I met him.

“It was during the 1989- 90 season. He was not only charming and highly intelligent, but clearly able to adapt as well.

“On the day we first met we went for dinner at the home of some of my friends.

“After the meal we played charades. It was not easy for Arsene, as he did not speak English as well as he does now.

“But he played the game at full tilt, and made himself understood. At that point I realised that he was no ordinary person.”

Nothing like my experiences of job interviews where you are forced to answer no-win questions like ‘what would you say are your biggest weaknesses?’

Wenger came in and transformed the north London club into a truly top team, not only winning titles and cups aplenty, but doing it in a style that makes Arsenal more pleasing on the eye than .

All this and Wenger has still found time to develop some of the best players in the world such as Henry, Viera and Fabregas, personally help design the new stadium and go a whole season unbeaten. All with a fraction of the financial outlay of Arsenal’s rivals. No wonder the Gooners chant ‘In Arsène We Trust’ at every opportunity.

So, he may look like a deputy headmaster and have worse vision than PJ after that fateful paint-balling accident when it comes to his own players conduct, but he clearly knows a thing or two about this management lark. He’s could still do with a few lessons on comedy timing as this clip demonstrates. It’s the way you tell ‘em Arsene…

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