Per Mertesacker insists Arsene Wenger remains as open as ever to new ideas, pointing to several backroom changes as evidence of the Frenchman’s continued desire to evolve as a coach.
It’s coming up to 19 years since the boss – stretching manual and bag of broccoli in hand – imposed his famous Mars bar ban on Highbury’s Tuesday Club; a decision that set the tone for a revolution on and off the pitch.
Of course over the last 10 years Wenger has grown used to criticism being arrowed in his direction, particularly from those who believe him to be stubborn and conservative in his coaching methods and tactics. It’s a charge that Mertesacker believes is ill-conceived.
While the Gunners playing philosophy may have been set in stone at the Emirates, the German insists that behind-the-scenes his manager is open to feedback and new recruits.
“I have witnessed it several times that there were questions about the manager in public,” the club vice-captain told German publication Kicker.
“That is quite normal at a club that goes for the league title. But we responded well with some results. By doing so, not only the team but also the coach is in a much better position.
“It is not like he sticks to his old methods. He changed some things by bringing in new players and by changing his behaviour.
“He changed his coaching staff, he acquired some fresh, young people. The video analysis has changed. In the summer, Shad Forsythe came in from the [Germany] national team as the new fitness coach.
“Those are examples that prove that he is open to new things and that he takes advice. One of his strengths he has never lost in all those years: his charisma. He is calm center of it all – that’s what he brings across.”
Interesting stuff from Per and a take on things that tallies with the huge overhaul of the club’s once state-of-the-art training ground. Redevelopment of London Colney and Hale End is scheduled for completion for the beginning of the 2017/18 season…a year after Wenger’s current deal runs out.
Captain Per may not have mentioned automatisms but he was certainly thinking about them.
Most footballers spend their time thinking about automobiles.
Our BFG is on a different planet with his automatisms. Great man.
Perhaps a coach in the future. I’d love to see Per shoving Mourinho to the side, haha.
Who is the idiot who gve a thumbs down to that comment?
Stoke fan must be around I can smell it
True but I think the boss needs to show obsession for winning titles. He used to say that winning is not everything that you can succeed without winning. We all known he wants to win every game but the message was too ambiguous. This year, I have seen clearer and direct communication to the public, from him.
It must be hard to put your hand on the shoulder of an old, trusty friend, look deep in his eyes, and say “Yer fired now fuck off, we’ve hired someone who won’t leave our players looking like they’ve been on the Somme frontline with bows and arrows and then went to convalesce in the sewers of Ouagadougou.”
I don’t remember Dad saying that?!
I have been one of Wenger’s harshest critics when it comes to his conservatism, especially when it comes to backroom changes and new methods (his idea that weight training is somehow bad has to be a particular past annoyance with me, as that was one of the reasons why arsenal lacked significantly behind other clubs in regards to sports science). When I used to attend sports science conferences, there would be loads of representatives from every top club…all except arsenal, who felt to never attend conferences as what they were doing was special. However in the past couple of years,… Read more »
Was weight training considered bad? Szcz broke both his arms on the weights when younger, so wouldn’t blame Wenger for thinking so.
Shad appears great, Wilshere and Walcott look so more nimble and have far better movement than I remember.
Old dog learning new tricks.
A player doing something stupid without supervision at 16 is no indicator of it being bad.
Wenger held that believe since his tenure, so it had nothing to do with that, but his belief that resistance training makes ones slower (sure, if you train like a bodybuilder, but these are athletes).
A good example was Jack’s injury when he returned appearing a bit bigger and stronger, and Wenger instructed him to go back to his normal slender frame. But notice since Shadz influence, all our players, including Jack, now look much strong and structurally more capable of taking on impact.
Nah, it’s just our puma kit
Don’t forget about Özil returning from long injury with a bit more brawn as well.
whenever I read about that incident with schez I wonder how he managed number 2 till he recovered. .
We’ve got a Big F***ing German