He revolutionized football in the country and did not get to do so by being laid back. From changing the diet to controlling the daily schedule of all his players, the French manager was a strict disciplinarian.
However, he was lenient towards one certain player. Who was he?
Let’s find out from Tony Adams.
Arsene Wenger threw up a whole different way of managing through love. With kindness, consideration and compassion. All these words I’d never bloody heard of! I thought it was fought, fight, fight, fight, fight!’ Adams said on The Micky & Woody Show’s Podcast as quoted by the Metro.
‘He managed with love: “Are you having a bad day today, Tony? Why don’t you take the day off?”
‘I always remember his lovely style, it might sum up his style of management which was really interesting. The lunatic, talking about emotionally up and down, Ian Wright used to play for us and he was coming in from Croydon every day. Every single day, late. Every single day.
‘I said to Arsene, “Are you gonna say something or me? I’m gonna pin him. I’m six weeks clean and sober so I’m not gonna pin [laughs] him but I’m having a conversation!”
‘And Arsene said: “Nooo, nooo! We put training back so he can get in on time”. I said, “What?! Put training back?! What are you talking about?!”
‘He said, “But listen, we need him at the moment. The minute we don’t need him, we get rid of him”. I said, “I’m not gonna have a confrontation, we’ll put training back, we’ll allow him to get in on time, we train with him, we leave him”.
‘To be honest with you, there’s a balancing line so I pinned Wrighty as well [laughs]. I said: “Wrighty, we’ve got to pick the kids up in the afternoon so get yourself inside!”
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