Reader's Letters: A "Wenger Out" explained...

I must admit, at risk of incurring wrath, I am Wenger Out…

I have immense respect for his deeds. He is an Arsenal legend, a French legend, and an English football legend. It’s because of Wenger, in part, why the Premier League is big globally. Despite this, I think he has run his course. Some of our issues, granted, are the board’s fault as much his. Nevertheless, I want to dispel some misconceptions and myths about Wenger Outs. We just have different opinions, which is fine, since all think differently:

We are not true fans

It’s said Wenger Outs are not true fans. Well “true fan” is subjective, isn’t it? True fans want the best for their club, and for us this means Wenger going. Despite legendary status, he is not beyond reproach, nor making errors.

Only Sky era fans want him out

I am 37, so I can remember part of the pre-Sky era. I’m not very young, but also not very old, and I know many fans older than me who are Wenger out. I see no evidence that Sky-era fans are the main Wenger Outs. The split in age terms isn’t definitive, I feel. Some younger people are Wenger In due to only knowing him as manager.

Wenger Outs hate Wenger with a passion, and disrespect him publicly and online

This is true in some cases and of course is reprehensible. However, for myself, I disapprove of some of his ways, but respect his achievements. I would if I saw him in public, without any facetiousness, shake his hand, give him a brief hug, ask for an autograph and selfie, and possibly frame it. He is a legend, and deserves that treatment. Many Wenger Outs praise him, but still express their reservations.

It’s like a friend who gets too tipsy at functions, meaning you have to drive him or her home often. Despite continual annoyance, you still respect your friend. It’s not a perfect analogy, granted, but flaws per se cannot stop respect for people.

Wenger Out people dismiss Wenger’s achievements

ALL of us on his arrival were thinking “Arsene Who?” The now classic paper headline was genuine, and not disrespectful at all. Seeing Vieira, Overmars, Petit, the 1998 Double, Henry, and then the Invincibles certainly warmed him to us. As aforementioned, we love his achievements. But then skills can be lost, and talent lost too. We just think the Wenger of 2016/17 is NOT the Wenger of 1997/98, or 2003/04. Times in football, and life overall, have changed and we need to move on.

Wenger Outs are spoilt, and don’t have appreciation for Arsenal’s history and what it was like before him

It’s true the Wenger era possibly is the greatest ever in our history. But I can remember finishing in mid-table, or “boring, boring, Arsenal”, Nayim from the Halfway Line or other negative points. To use a cliche, life is a roller coaster and being a Gooner (like any other fan of another club) is about ups and downs.

Arsenal is a big club, and thanks to Wenger one of the biggest clubs on Earth. As a big club, we should have an expectation of success, albeit no “divine right” to win trophies. We can accept bad times, but still want the will and desire to win. Liverpool is a club, like us, with a long history of success (more success than us). They’ve only won two trophies in the last ten years, like us, but still have high standards, since they’re well…Liverpool.

It’s just how life works, and how humans are. We want to maintain high standards, especially those set down generations. This is something that all big clubs, whether Man Utd, Liverpool, ourselves, or the very biggest like Real Madrid do. Even if we do slip a little after Wenger leaves, I will always believe we should be up there challenging and winning. 

I hope this has been enlightening, and shown not ALL Wenger Outs are monsters or abrasive people. Some of us can be, but mutual hostility occurs from both sides, not just Wenger Outs.

We all do want one thing though, it’s for Arsenal to progress and win trophies, we just have different views of doing this.

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Goonersphere's Response

Thank you for sending in your views. Goonersphere is a broad church welcoming of most opinions. It's easy for people to be tarred with the same brush as the abusive minority. We can respectfully disagree about how to achieve success but we are all united by our love for Arsenal and we should spend more time focusing on what unites us than what divides us.

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