Arsene Wenger celebrates 20 years in charge at Arsenal on Saturday but is the Frenchman setting himself up for his next gig?
[ MORE: USMNT’s Gooch flourishing ]
Wenger, 66, only has a contract through the end of this Premier League season and it is unknown what his plans are beyond next summer, with Wenger saying he will not make a decision about his future until after this season.
At a press conference on Friday ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Burnley this Sunday (Watch live, 11:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBC Sports) Wenger was asked if he would consider taking over the now vacant England national team job following Sam Allardyce’s disgraceful departure after an undercover newspaper investigation earlier this week.
Wenger certainly didn’t turn down the notion of him becoming England’s next manager.
A follow up question then asked why he wasn’t ruling it out.
“I rule nothing out because I want to work and I want to do well,” Wenger said. “I accept as well that it can finish tomorrow. It is a love story and a love story you always expect it to last forever, but you know it can stop every day.”
So, Wenger is up for the England job. No surprise there.
After 20 years living and working in England, it is hard to imagine anybody else currently working in the game who has had more influence on English soccer. From his tactics, dietary advice and professionalism, the modern game in England has much to thank Wenger for.
As his contract situation rumbles on at Arsenal, England could do a lot worse than hiring Wenger. How would this work though, if Wenger was to take charge of England next summer?
Well, with Gareth Southgate placed in caretaker charge for the next four games in 2016, he could hold a similar caretaker role for the one games scheduled before the end of the 2016-17 season -- Mar. 26 again Lithuania at Wembley -- and then Wenger could take over. If he failed with the Three Lions, would it taint his legacy at Arsenal? Probably not. Taking the job wouldn’t be much of a risk for Wenger. After poor tournament displays in recent years, the only way, surely, is up.
Wenger is almost seen as an honorary Englishman within the game and with England’s national team in desperate need of a confidence boost and to try and get the best out of their talented and young squad, maybe Wenger is the man. You would have thought Wenger coaching the French national team next would make more sense but if the opportunity is there, maybe England will wait it out over the next few World Cup qualifiers and wait for Wenger to become available next summer.
Of course, him leaving Arsenal at the end of the current season is still a massive “if” as it seems likely he’ll be offered a new deal soon but this is a situation we should watch carefuly as Wenger continues to rule out “one day” coaching England.
Maybe that day will come soon than most of us think.
Remember: At 12:30 p.m. ET, this Saturday, Oct. 1, NBCSN presents a new Premier League Download: Inside the Mind of Arsene Wenger, hosted by The Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett to celebrate 20 years at Arsenal. Promo video is above.