Arsene Wenger will wait for victory to announce Arsenal contract extension
Arsene Wenger is waiting on a win
The news that Arsene Wenger has decided to sign a two-year contract extension has certainly divided the club’s fan base. Many Arsenal fans are understandably wondering why Wenger hasn’t made an announcement if he really does intend to stay on as the Gunners manager.
The answer to that question is pretty simple. Wenger, and the club, want to wait until after a victory on the pitch to make the announcement. That’s a pretty basic decision for the club’s public relations department.
Just imagine the protests if Wenger’s extension were to be announced after an ugly loss. The Emirates might have burned down if the club made an announcement after a 3-1 loss to West Brom. Such unrest wouldn’t be good for anyone at the North London club.
Instead, the club can wait to announce the news until their fans experience another victory. Any protests in the aftermath of a triumph will be subdued by the joy of victory. Even Wenger’s most passionate critics will feel a little strange bemoaning a new contract in the aftermath of a Premier League victory.
More from Arsenal FC
- Gunners do just enough to claim victory in season opener
- Arsenal: We bottled it but I don’t care
- Arsenal complete record deal for Declan Rice
- Arsenal splurges on transfers as they aim to collect silverware
- Arsenal complete the signing of Kai Havertz
For the record, that doesn’t mean it’s the right club for either the club or manager. As a Tottenham fan, I’m happy to see Wenger continue, but I think it’s the wrong move for everyone associated with Arsenal. The club should be searching for a graceful exit strategy for Wenger. Instead, they seem prepared to accept his services for another two seasons.
It’s quite easy to see the tensions at Arsenal getting worse as a result. Signing a two-year extension sounds great, but what happens if the Gunners get off to a slow start next year? Will Wenger really be on solid footing with the club? Of course not, the fans would only begin to howl even louder for the manager’s dismissal.
I suppose it’s possible that Wenger can rediscover his magic and turn things around, but that certainly isn’t the most likely outcome. The most likely outcome of a new two-year contract for Wenger is that the club will need to sack him before he finishes out the agreement. That could be quite an ugly divorce between a club and a manager who’s meant everything to their success over the last two decades.
Next: Arsenal are looking to Barcelona for help
In the end, Arsenal fans hoping to see their club break their Premier League losing skid need to be careful what they wish for. Once the Gunners win again, Arsene Wenger will announce his shiny new contract.