Will he stay or will he go? Has Arsene Wenger reached the end?

Arsene Wenger. Say his name and today you can get a varied different responses regarding the man. He is the most successful manager in Arsenal’s history. And he now is the longest serving single manager to have such a long drought of silverware.

Any speculation on Wenger’s future is just that speculation. He has proven time and time again, to be of his own mind and when the time is right he will eventually step aside. No, Arsene Wenger will never be sacked from Arsenal. I don’t think the board would ever have the stomach for anything so ignominious as that.

The question to be asking is the time neigh?

Arsenal supporters were greeted this morning to a Telegraph EXCLUSIVE saying that the Qatari owners of Paris Saint Germain were quite confident of luring the Arsenal manager back to his home land to manage the nouveau riche side in Paris. The worst case scenario was that Wenger would wait until next season when his contract was up but they still felt very confident that would get him this summer.

The biggest flaw in the article besides the obvious identification of sources is one telling little comment in the piece – it called the 2013-2014 season an option on his contract. It implies that Wenger could willfully leave this season and be true to his word that he would see out the length of his contract. Slight problem with that – it’s been confirmed – that the 2013-2014 season is definitely not an option – it is part of the overall contract.

Putting the rumour mongering story aside, the question has to be asked soon will he and should he go?

First, it’s worth it noting that the board are almost obligated to offer Wenger an extension on his current contract regardless of his intentions beyond 2014. The club need to sign players and however, you may feel about the man, players still cite playing under Arsene Wenger as a reason for signing for Arsenal.

If there isn’t some sort of guarantee of a manager in place beyond the next season it will be hard to entice players for a long-term deal. Now, some will argue that Chelsea seem to have no problem doing that. Well, Chelsea like Manchester City operate in a different stratosphere in England than other teams. The simply entice players by offering huge sums of money no one else can. Then it doesn’t matter who you play for.

I’ve gone back and forth on when Wenger will decide to hang it up. I certainly see a man who seems externally to be a shell of his former self. He looks gaunt and frustrated more than he does pleased. While some argue the competitive fire still shines bright in him, you have to wonder though. Sometimes it just seems his responses are just going through the movements.

He looks sullen and downcast, thin and gaunt and maybe a man who once seemed to have all the answers doesn’t look like it.

It’s clear at some point the losses of players like Fabregas and Van Persie have affected him. He clearly thought he had the making of championship winning squad and had some events turned differently, he just might have. You wonder would we be this peeved with Wenger had 07-08 turned out differently or in 2011 had we won the Carling Cup what would’ve happened. As it is, none of it has and Arsene now presides over 8 years of sustained futility.

Surely he has to bare some of the brunt as do the board and as do the players. But this piece isn’t about that. Those arguments have been made over and over and frankly they are tired. So will he leave.

I had it felt it was more than better than 50% that after 2014 he was done. That was until he signed the 5 British players whom are set to make up the core of the club going forward. The signing of the 5 sniffs of a new project. So it is quite possible that when the club offer Arsene an extension he’ll take it.

We could be wrong.  He could be done with it all. The PSG link isn’t new. Wenger has close ties to the Qatari ownership and has been a pundit on one of their networks and an occasional advisor. If not PSG Real Madrid continually sniff around as do the French National team.

However, neither PSG or Madrid will provide Wenger with the ability to lord over the affairs of the club like Arsenal do. Additionally, moving to PSG and or Madrid would fly in the face of the principles Wenger has quoted regarding “financial doping” and money clubs. He has railed against clubs with their large cheque books and ability to pay more money than anyone else. Going to one of the money clubs would fly in the face of his constant arguements against that. Finally, the French National team, while he admits is attractive, Wenger enjoys the day to day activity of the club.

All this winds up pointing to Wenger staying at Arsenal. You could argue he could stay and end up in the board room. I’m not sure that’ll happen as he strikes me as enjoying his role as manager. Plus I also think Wenger is considerate enough that he will not want to cast a shadow over whoever comes in to replace him.

And that leads to the next obvious question – who replaces Wenger. There are those who argue he is irreplaceable and on one level they are correct. Even in the downturn for the club, Wenger has provided glory to Arsenal beyond measure and on that level he is irreplaceable.

My thought on this whomever comes in will no longer enjoy the long-term stability that Wenger enjoys. Once managers like Wenger and Fergie are out of their respective coaching seats, the environment is such that any manager will be just like any player – here until they are sacked or find a better contract. I think the era of 15+ year managers is over.

As for the actual replacement don’t buy into the argument that there isn’t anyone out there. First remember that Arsene Wenger was a virtual unknown in England when he was signed. But even with the enhanced stature of the club there are viable candidates for Arsenal. And candidates who could have an immediate impact even with this squad – less the dead wood.

We’ll go into the “heirs apparent” at another date soon.  The likes of Joachim Low, Ariel Jacobs (FC Coppenhagen/Anderlecht), Jurgen Klopp, Heiko Vogel (FC Basel 2011-2012), Lucien Favre (Borussia Monchengladbach), and Unai Emery (Sevilla) to name a few.  Suffice it to say that there are good managers both at some of the major players and some at not-so major players. The club and by extension the fanbase shouldn’t be afraid to expand the considerations just beyond the big names touted in the press.

Wenger will go. Hopefully, he will be feted as the success he is and not amidst a din of acrimony. Regardless of the level of blame you lay for our 8 barren years what he has brought to this club has earned him the right to leave with honour.