Arsenal need to replace Arsene Wenger, but not with Max Allegri
Arsenal are facing one of the most important turning points of the club's existence. The legendary Arsene Wenger is 67, his contract is up at the end of the season, and the club's management have a decision to make. Do they sign him to a new deal or is it time to bring new blood into the club? If they do decide to move on from Wenger, who should be the man to take them forward into the future?
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri's been constantly linked to the Arsenal job over the last few months. When asked about the rumors, Allegri didn't dismiss that he had spoken with the Gunners.
"I won't deny or confirm anything," Allegri told Mediaset Premium.
Snagging a manager from Juventus isn't a bad way for Arsenal to go forward. And Allegri is a good manager, but as good of a coach as he is, he isn't the man for Arsenal.
The Juventus manager's work to take the team Antonio Conte built to the next level hasn't gone unnoticed. Bianconeri supporters were devastated to see Conte leave the club, but the majority were quickly won over after seeing Allegri's success. Alongside executive director Giuseppe Marotta and sporting director Fabio Paratici, Allegri improved on the framework Conte built, and lead Juventus to a further two league titles, a Coppa Italia trophy, and an appearance in the Champions League final.
For someone, not yet done with his third season with The Old Lady, that's spectacular. But that doesn't make him right for Arsenal.
As good as Allegri is, he's simply not the right type of personality the club needs moving forward. If Arsenal are going to move on from Wenger, they've got to choose what type of club they want to be. The management's reported two-year extension offer to Wenger suggests they aren't particularly concerned with the lack of titles, so what exactly is the priority? Are they simply a top four numbers maker? Are they real, bona fide title challengers? Or, are they a club willing to take a step back and rebuild from the ground up?
It's been 12 years since Arsenal won the league and they've only won two trophies (a pair of FA Cups) in the last decade. Finishing second to Leicester City last year was the highest they'd finished since the 2004-05 season, and they haven't made it past the Champions League Round of 16 since 2007-08. For the last few decade of Wenger's reign they've been a solid top four team, rarely truly mounting a challenge for the Premier League trophy. The question is, are they happy to continue on this path? If they're happy to simply qualify for Champions League every year, then there's no need to get rid of Wenger. He's proven himself more than capable to achieve that goal year after year, and destabilizing the club in search of the same goal simply makes no sense.
If Arsenal want to win trophies, then it really is time to move on. Year after year, Wenger's title challenges have fallen flat, and there's a palpable sense that things simply won't change as long as he's at the helm. If Arsenal feel themselves to be a club who deserve to win a Premier League title in the next few years, then Wenger's time simply has to be up. They need to look elsewhere.
Allegri probably isn't the answer if the Gunners need an immediate title challenge. While he's certainly got the tactical nous to steer Arsenal to a Premier League trophy, it's doubtful he's the right personality to inspire this current team to higher heights than Wenger could. A good man manager, and a competent motivator, Allegri thrives in teams that already have a winning mentality within the squad. At Arsenal, a team who have struggled with mental fragility under Wenger, Allegri would likely find it a struggle to inspire this group, especially without the brilliant tandem of Marotta and Paratici to stock his team full of winners.
If Arsenal are serious about becoming real title challengers, they need a coach like Diego Simeone. Not only does he have the tactical knowledge to make Arsenal a real powerhouse, he's got the fire and brimstone personality to inspire the team to greatness. That's an unquantifiable thing that can be blown out of proportion, but consider the plateau the Gunners hit a decade ago and have been hanging out on since, a shake up would serve them well.
Simeone is more than just a character, though. He's proven himself to be a fantastic operator in the transfer market with Atletico Madrid's smaller budget, and with Arsenal's bigger wallet and the draw of the Premier League, he'd have no issues putting together a team capable of challenging and winning the title. He's already shown that he can attract players, and that's exactly the type of rejuvenation Arsenal need at this stage. If the Gunners are going to be winners, they need a Diego Simeone in their life.
If they're willing to take a step back and build a new core, Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe could just be the man to take Arsenal into the future. He's young, English, has worked miracles with the Cherries' tiny budget, and he plays the type of attractive, effective soccer that Arsenal fans appreciate. Howe doesn't have the resume of an Allegri or a Simeone, but if the Gunners' priority isn't winning the league, it should be to continue Wenger's philosophy of developing young players for the future and establishing an system of play that the entire club can adopt.
Arsenal can't move forward into the future until they decide exactly what type of future they're moving towards. If they're happy to be top four mainstays without the real promise of winning the league, then there's no reason to get rid of Wenger. He'll keep them steady, they'll (probably) make Champions League every year, and they'll stay in the black. If they want trophies now, then they should direct all their attention to prying Simeone away from the Vicente Calderon and throwing their support behind him to revitalize this team. If neither one of those goals is a priority, and they're focused on securing the long term future of the club without an immediate title push? Eddie Howe just could be the man.
No matter which direction they choose though, it's time for Arsenal to decide exactly who they are. And who they are, or want to be, is not what Allegri is, no matter how good a manager he may be.
