Arsenal FC Manager Arsene Wenger: Is He Replaceable?

As Arsenal's season again looks like it'll be a fruitless campaign, the calls for long-serving manager Arsene Wenger to leave are becoming increasingly louder. 

The Gunners have not won a trophy since lifting the FA Cup in 2005, back in the days of Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires.

Since then, the French boss has seen his side beaten in the UEFA Champions League final, twice in the League Cup final and finish second, third and fourth in the Premier League.

And in modern-day football where success is vital and winning trophies crucial, Wenger's tenure in the Arsenal hot-seat has been survived due to his world-renowned capability of producing top young talent, as well as his financial acumen.

But there comes a time when trophies are needed to help a club progress, and that's something Arsenal need if they are to really join Europe's elite.

An increasing number of people are now saying Arsene Wenger, who has been the Gunners boss for almost 15 years, has to go if Arsenal are to compete for top honours.

However, is Arsene Wenger actually replaceable as Arsenal manager?

Looking at the financial side of things, it could be quite costly to replace the 61-year-old Frenchman.

First of all, compensation would be required if the Arsenal board of directors were to sack Wenger, and that could be in the tens of millions considering he's contracted to 2014 and has been such a long-serving servant to the club.

Secondly, it would then require more money to bring in another manager capable of doing something Wenger has largely been unable to do, i.e. win trophies regularly, especially the UEFA Champions League.

Those sorts of managers are very hard to come by, and most certainly aren't cheap. Rumour has it FC Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas, who learnt his trade under Sir Bobby Robson and Jose Mourinho, could be lined up as a potential Wenger replacement. 

Thirdly, a lot more money would need to be invested in the playing squad, as the new manager would inevitably want new players who aren't stuck in the Wenger days and are willing to adapt to new training methods, tactics and footballing philosophies.

So overall, if the Gunners' board did want to replace Arsene Wenger, it would take quite a lot of extra expenditure from their well-balanced financial books, and could plunge Arsenal into a bit of debt, something which might not be a great idea—especially considering there's no guarantee of Arsenal winning trophies, even with a new manager. 

Looking at the playing side of things, it would be a tough job for any new manager to replace the long-serving Arsene Wenger, who has built up such a rapport with the players (most of whom owe their career success to Wenger), the fans, the board of directors, the backroom staff, i.e. virtually everybody involved with the club.

Inevitably, there would be some players who would want to leave.

Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, the long-term target of FC Barcelona (who claim Fabregas has "Barca-DNA"), could well be one of the first to leave, considering his loyalty to Wenger and how much Wenger has helped him in his career.

Samir Nasri could also jump ship, considering his French connection with Wenger which has made the transition to life in London much easier for the 23-year-old.

Jack Wilshere might also want to leave, along with the likes of Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna, Abou Diaby, etc., all youngsters and French players (Wilshere aside) whose career has been made by Arsene Wenger.

And such key players leaving the club would of course damage the club and require a lot of new investment, something which might well be difficult for Arsenal's owners and major shareholders to take.

Also, the new boss would also have to deal with the immediate post-Wenger period where the players are still very much in the mindset of how Arsene Wenger used to organise the team.

For example, in training sessions the new manager might start with long-distance shooting drills, or seven-a-side matches, with the players constantly telling the boss, "That's not how Arsene did it," or "But boss, Wenger doesn't believe in long-distance shooting," etc.

It would no doubt irritate the new manager, consistently being reminded of the old regime, whilst the player's morale and trust in the new boss wouldn't be very high having to adapt to new training methods that they don't necessarily believe in.

It's presumably what happened at Liverpool after Rafael Benitez left and Roy Hodgson took over, after the Spaniard built up a good rapport with everyone at the club in his six years in charge. 

Benitez no doubt had his cronies, i.e. players that were loyal to him, such as Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso, Fernando Torres, etc.

So when Hodgson took over, the players had to adapt to a new philosophy, new training methods and a new manager who was less involved at Melwood.

The players clearly found this hard to take, considering their slump in form, while Fernando Torres clearly felt he couldn't continue at Liverpool without Rafael Benitez, and hence jumped ship to Chelsea.

Another case would be Charlton Athletic after Alan Curbishley left the club in 2006 after 15 years in charge. That season, the Addicks were relegated from the Premier League after six years in the top-flight.

Now, the club from South East London are languishing in League One, the third tier of English football.

And the most popular example, showcased in British cinema, is Brian Clough when he took charge of Leeds United—Don Revie's Leeds United.

The managerial problem is not just at Arsene Wenger's Arsenal. What will happen at Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United when the Scot decides to leave? And how about David Moyes' Everton?

Arsenal fans may be calling for Wenger's head, but is there really anybody who can replace him and immediately provide the success that has so far eluded the Gunners in recent times?

Just like at Everton and Manchester United, a new manager at Arsenal could well be taking charge of The Damned United.