Given the manner of his side’s defeat at Wembley on Sunday afternoon, it was to be expected that Arsene Wenger’s future as Arsenal manager would be the subject of more speculation this week. Sure enough, it is…
Arsenal’s dismal showing against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, coupled with the fact that their chances of securing a Champions League return next season appear increasingly slim, are said to have caused concern amongst the club’s hierarchy. As a result, reports claimed on Tuesday morning that Wenger’s position as manager will be reviewed at the end of the campaign.
These same reports have also indicated that Arsenal are considering as many as eight different names as potential Wenger replacements. His former players, Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Mikel Arteta are all said to be in the frame, as are AS Monaco’s Leonardo Jardim, Germany boss Joachim Löw and the currently out of work Carlo Ancelotti.
And then, there is Brendan Rodgers.
Although there’s no suggestion that the Celtic manager tops this reported managerial shortlist, it’s his inclusion that appears to have made the most waves across social media. Y’know – Being Liverpool references about names in envelopes, people sharing that slightly terrifying GIF of him staring manically as he greets Ancelotti in the Anfield tunnel – that sort of thing.
If Brendan Rodgers does go to Arsenal, these are the sort of inspiring team talks the Gunners can look forward to pic.twitter.com/4u4kkSxPdu
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) February 27, 2018
It appears that to many, the idea that Rodgers could return to England and restore Arsenal to their former glories is a ridiculous one. And perhaps they’re right. As much as Wenger has continued to field sides that play easy-on-the-eye attacking football, he has routinely failed to thoroughly address their defensive shortcomings. One criticism that has repeatedly been levelled at Rodgers’ teams is that they are also found wanting at the back against good opposition. Maybe Rodgers would merely be just more of the same?
Perhaps though, the main gripe for Arsenal fans with Brendan Rodgers potentially taking over at The Emirates is simply that he is Brendan Rodgers: football’s answer to David Brent, with his blindingly white teeth and hard-to-believe anecdotes.
But strip away this Brentiness and all the other stuff that gets brought up at the mere mention of his name and maybe – just maybe -Rodgers should be taken more seriously by Arsenal…
Here is a man who, on the surface at least, has no issues at all when it comes to self-confidence. Currently in charge of Celtic and once manager of Liverpool, he knows a thing or two about leading huge clubs and handling the expectation that comes as part of that. For all that is so clearly wrong with Arsenal at this moment in time, this wouldn’t be a job that would faze him if the opportunity to take it came his way.
And yes, as already mentioned, Rodgers’ brand of football has its flaws. But, as those Liverpool supporters that witnessed the second half of the 2013/14 season will tell you, when he gets it right, it’s a match for anyone. Were it not for an ill-timed Steven Gerrard slip and Luis Suarez’s World Cup bite-accelerated switch to Barcelona a few months later, perhaps he might even still be in charge at Anfield.
Having come so agonisingly close to the title in 2014, the Uruguayan’s departure after that summer’s World Cup took the wind out of Liverpool sails. Although many will point to the disappointing run that led to Rodgers’ exit from the club in the autumn of 2015 as reason for him not to be considered by Arsenal , it’s still worth remembering just how ruthless his team had been. Not just Suarez, but strike partner Daniel Sturridge, who himself chipped in with 24 goals that season. Steven Gerrard and Raheem Sterling also notched up double figure goal tallies, and the influence of Philippe Coutinho – signed by Rodgers after a disappointing spell at Inter Milan – grew steadily as the season progressed.
That Liverpool side scored over 100 league goals during the 2013/14 campaign, their best ever tally in a Premier League season. Were Rodgers to be given a group of attacking players as gifted as Arsenal’s current crop, there’s no saying he wouldn’t be able to replicate this and produce something similar.
While Celtic have continued to struggle in European competition under Rodgers, they are as dominant as ever domestically and on course to win another clean sweep of Scottish titles. Poised to seal back-to-back trebles, there can be little doubt that the gap has widened between them and the rest while he has been in Scotland. He has improved them, as he has with pretty much every team he’s managed – if only for a couple of seasons.
This point might provide a possible explanation as to why Rodgers is – reportedly, at least – in the frame to be a future Arsenal manager. With the club’s recent efforts to overhaul its current player recruitment department, it’s feasible someone like Rodgers will be appointed with the sole responsibility of improving the players at his disposal. The identification and signing of new players would be left to others, including recently-appointed Sven Mislintat, who became Arsenal’s new head of player recruitment after joining from Borussia Dortmund.
But hey, let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. For all the good that Rodgers might have done in his managerial career, realistically, it’s doubtful he’ll be seriously considered as Wenger’s replacement. Recent years have seen a steady rise in ill-feeling amongst Arsenal fans towards their long-term manager. When the time does come to finally replace him, Arsenal’s supporters will expect someone other than Rodgers or the caricature he has become.
