The Fall of Arsène Wenger

Heroes & Humans of Football

From innovator to "specialist in failure," this riveting episode charts Arsène Wenger's steep fall at Arsenal. His pioneering vision had remade English football, introducing new tactics, diets, and a cosmopolitan ethos that redefined excellence. The unbeaten "Invincibles" season cemented his legend, but also marked the start of a tragic decline.

As richer clubs co-opted Wenger's methods, his stubborn penny-pinching while Arsenal's debt piled up from their new Emirates stadium ended up creating fan toxicity. The famous (and hilarious) battle of "Pizzagate" at Old Trafford in 2004 signalled the start of the unravelling.

With raw insight on Wenger himself, the episode explores the personal costs of his uncompromising obsession, which alienated even die-hard fans. From glorious highs battling Sir Alex Ferguson to humiliating lows like a 6-0 loss on his 1000th game, it traces Wenger's descent from manager to "specialist in failure" caricature. And yet all through it, he loved his job at Arsenal.

This unsparing portrait captures the complexity of a man who remade the modern game yet stubbornly clung to his principles amid changing circumstances. The biggest victim was Wenger himself. His rise, fall, and self-reckoning are the story of a man who ended up feeling he had devoted too much of his life to football.

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction to Arsene Wenger and framing his rise and fall

3:00 - Wenger's meteoric rise, pioneering approach and creation of the "Invincibles"

9:00- The "Pizzagate" incident at Old Trafford in 2004 signals the start of Wenger's decline

14:30 - Wenger's aversion to spending and friction with new free-spending owners like Abramovich

19:00 - Poor decisions like selling Van Persie as criticisms mount

23:00 - The Emirates Stadium move precipitating years of austerity and player sales

28:30 - Wenger becoming alienated from fans, a "specialist in failure" meme

33:00 - The lingering pain of the 2006 Champions League final loss

38:00 - How Wenger coped by doubling down on his autonomy as results worsened

43:00 - Rise of fan channels like AFTV amplifying "Wenger Out" toxicity

48:30 - Wenger's forced 2018 exit after protracted decline

53:00 - His struggle adapting to civilian life and reflections on sacrificing family

58:00 - Reassessing Wenger's complicated legacy as a transformative pioneer

1:03:00 - Looking ahead - could Arsenal find a role for him?

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