Arsenal FC: Five replacements for Arsene Wenger
4. Steve Bould
No shock here – when Arsene Wenger’s days are up with Arsenal FC, long-time assistant manager Steve Bould will almost certainly be on the shortlist of potential replacements. Bould, who was promoted from a position in the Arsenal academy in 2012, featured over 250 times for the Gunners in their back line for over a decade and has been a major part of Wenger’s staff since Pat Rice announced his retirement five years ago.
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Bould’s success with the Arsenal FC academy is well documented. He took over the managerial post shortly after his playing career finished and led their U18 side to two Premier League Academy titles, adding an FA Youth Cup to his cabinet a couple of years after that.
However, the Arsenal faithful will be right to question whether five years as Wenger’s assistant (plus a decade of youth experience) is enough to tackle as gargantuan a position as this one. Most, if not all, new managers bring in their own coaching staff, meaning Wenger’s exit would likely spell the same for Bould.
It’s an intriguing prospect for the former England International, but he will need heavy support from both the fans and the board to secure a takeover.