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On the 28th of September,1996 The Evening Standard ran the, now infamous headline - Arsene Who? Arsenal who had just sacked their manager George Graham after an investigation over funds given to agents, filled the vacant managerial position with a certain Arsene Wenger. Wenger, who previously managed Nagoya Grampus Eight in the Japanese league thus became Arsenal's first foreign manager.

His appointment was met with trepidation not only at Arsenal but all over England. The man they called "Professor" went on to redefine English football over the next decade. Under Graham Arsenal were hugely successful, winning the league twice, the FA Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup. Never known for their beautiful football, Arsenal mastered the art of the Offside trap and battled their way to victories. Wenger came on and radically changed the way Arsenal played football. He changed the ethos of the club, getting rid of the alcoholic culture that plagued the club for years and guided Tony Adams from the brink of alcoholic cataclysm to "Captain Fantastic".

In his first season they finished 2nd, behind Manchester United. The next season in 1997-98 Arsenal played beautiful football to land their second League and FA Cup double. That side had a mixture of everything, physicality in the form of Adams and Martin Keown, steel in midfield with the impressive Patrick Viera and Ray Parlour, trickery and pace with Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars and the young Nicolas Anelka. Arsenal cruised to the league title with 2 games to spare and beat Newcastle in the FA Cup final, thus becoming just the 2nd team to win 2 Doubles after Manchester United and Wenger became the first non-British manager to achieve the feat. Arsenal showcased a dizzying passing ability that hitherto, was alien to English football. English clubs, even in their heyday, in the late 70's and 80's when they ruled Europe were known for their combativeness rather than subtle skill. Wenger opened English eyes to the possibilities that lay in store through the application of skilful management.

Arsenal were beaten to the title by a possessed Manchester United, who claimed a historic treble in the 1998-99 season. They then endured a barren spell over the next three years as United claimed title after title. Questions were being asked about his methods, philosophy after they lost the UEFA Cup final and FA Cup final in 2000 and 2001 respectively.

Wenger's eye for talent has been exemplary over the years and it continues to serve him richly. First he brought in the out of favor Juventus attacker Thierry Henry for a record £10 million, then he added the likes of Robert Pires, Freddie Ljunberg and the controversial signing of defender Sol Campbell from rivals Tottenham. The new team that he rebuilt went on to become one of the most successful in the clubs history.

Arsenal clinched the League and FA Cup double again in 2001-02. That season they broke record after record, becoming the first team ever to go an entire season without losing an away match and scored in all 38 league games. In 2002-03 Arsenal created history again by going unbeaten through out the season, thus becoming only the 8th team in European football history to achieve the feat and the first in top flight English football in over a decade. The electric Thierry Henry lit up the Premiership with his daring runs and majestic balance. It was poetic football played with the grace and artistry deserving of the manager's vision. A visionary, who started the trend of playing right footed players on the left wing with Robert Pires. He claimed that when applied to perfection, this tactic reduced the tackling capability of the opposing full back. Now the like of Messi, Robben, Adam Johnson etc all have Wenger to thank for his tactical acumen.

Wenger came very close to finally adding the European Cup to his impressive trophy cabinet in 2006, only to be denied by a resilient Barcelona who claimed the trophy with a 2-1 victory. The Gunners' European failures continue to be a modern day enigma, considering they are the best equipped to play the European style of football.

Wenger changed his transfer policy to maintain the club's financial stability in the long run after the construction of their new stadium 'The Emirates' put the club in financial stress. He put his faith in youth to take Arsenal forward into the next decade. They have produced the likes of Ashley Coel, Cesc Fabregas, Gael Clichy and with the addition of young players like Nasri, Eboue and Van Persie the Gunners have a very talented squad but are accused of lacking the winning mentality. When push comes to shove, Arsenal have gone missing in the last few years. Wenger's reluctance to invest in experience and continue his policy of bringing in young players and moulding them in the Arsenal way has yielded no trophies in 5 years but they continue to play the most eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing football in England.

Where you draw the line between principles and success has always been a grey area but lets hope his dedication and faith in his methods will come to fruition sooner rather than later. The Emirates was constructed on the back of the club's success under Wenger. A visionary, genius and a winner, Arsene Wenger continues to hover around the touch line on a Saturday afternoon after 14 years at the helm with the infectious enthusiasm of a kid, masterminding the most beautiful football team in the country. Here's to cherishing three more years - Wenger has put pen to paper on the promise of being around till 2014!

File Photograph Copyright: Ryu Voelkel

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