Time Machine: Who's Next for Arsenal After Arsene Wenger?

It was Thursday evening when I got an e-mail from a football coordinator working on Bleacher Report, asking me to write some analysis on who may become Arsenal manager should Arsene Wenger leave.

To be quite honest, I have brought this up in comments on some articles that have appeared on this site over the last few weeks; however, it is not something I overly enjoy conversing about.

Let's be honest, do Manchester United fans enjoy talking about who will replace Alex Ferguson?

Just as with Ferguson, someday Arsene Wenger will leave the club he has served so well.

I have my own feeling when Wenger may leave and what he may do next, but this is mere speculation on my behalf. It's not based on solid fact and would need certain wheels to be put in motion to ever come about.

Hand on my heart, I was not going to write this article until I logged on today and realised this request for analysis must have went to several Arsenal fans, as there are numerous articles regarding this subject already up.

What shocked me most was that some seem to think Wenger may go to Real Madrid in the summer.

I for one fully expect him to fulfil his contract that does not expire until 2011.

Not alone that, were he ever to break his Arsenal contract to manage Real Madrid he may as well spit in the faces of every Arsenal fan. Should he do what Perez seems to think he can get him to do, Wenger would remain in Arsenal's history but remove himself from our hearts.

Since 1996, Arsene Wenger has brought his own football philosophies to the English game and they have latched on to huge effect down at the Grove. To all intents and purposes, I consider Real Madrid and Arsene Wenger to be like chalk and cheese, and I can never see this union working.

Anyway, just as the majority of Arsenal fans I trust him when he says he will be at Arsenal until 2011 at least. I do not believe him when he says we are two percent away from dominating the Premiership or that Denilson and Song are the best midfield partnership Arsenal can hope to have, but in regards to his commitment I do believe him.

Arsene Wenger doesn't walk on water, he isn't the greatest thing to ever happen to football, but in my personal opinion, he is the best thing that has happened to Arsenal football club.

Need I bore you with the details of the style of football he has brought to the North London club, the players he has brought in for a relatively small fee and turned in major pieces of a great jigsaw, the unbeatables and the numerous trophies. You have heard of all these before.

The big one that remains is the Champions League. I, more than anything, want Arsenal to win that trophy and I want to win it with Arsene Wenger. He deserves to be our manager should we finally reach the top of European football.

Hence, the above reasons are why I have used the words "Time Machine" in my headline. Arsene Wenger is going nowhere for now, but the time will come will Arsenal will have a different man on the sidelines.

Perhaps it'll be in 2011, perhaps Wenger will sign on for another four years and it'll not be until 2015.

Regardless there is one person that knows the answer to that and he is too busy at the moment having a pop at his team for drawing with Cardiff in the FA Cup. Therefore, I will take a shot at who I believe could be possible candidates to replace Arsene Wenger should he vacate the Arsenal hot-seat in 2011.

The Inside Man

It is easy to understand that the Arsenal board and fans will want Arsenal to be operated largely along the way it is now—playing football the way it is meant to be and challenging for trophies on all fronts.

Who better to replace Arsene Wenger than his right hand man at Arsenal?

Step forward Boro Primorac.

Primorac is largely unheard of outside of Arsenal circles. Most see Pat Rice as Wenger's second in command but that is to severly play down the role of Primorac.

Primorac and Wenger have been friends for over 20 years and have worked together at both Grampus Eight and Arsenal.

The former Yugoslavian defender is first team coach at Arsenal and has been paramount to the club's success. He is renowned for his knowledge of the European game and deep technical understanding of the beautiful game.

If Wenger were to step down, the promotion of Primorac from first team coach to manager would surely ensure a smooth transition of power. Primorac understands the Arsenal and Wenger way. He would know the players and club like the back of his hands.

Of course there is always the chance that should Wenger leave for another club or the international set-up, he may well take his friends of 20 years with him.

The Up and Coming Manager

For some time now the name of a certain Croatian has been thrown around the Emirates as a possible contender for the Arsenal managerial seat in the future.

Slaven Bilic is rather new to this managerial game and has yet to turn his hand at club management. However, he has been quite successful with the Croatian U-21 team and now the senior international side.

Bilic seems to be highly popular with the majority of Croatian internationals. He is known for having an energetic and humorous personality ensuring he'd be popular with the Arsenal fans and players.

The Croat is a fan of promoting and developing young players, a keystone in Arsenal's future.

Having played for both Everton and West Ham, Bilic has a working knowledge of the English Premier League.

While Bilic remains a promising young manager, it remains to be seen will the Arsenal hot seat come too soon for a man untested in club football.

The Old Head

While relative inexperience may play against Bilic, one man who has more experience than most is Dutchman Guus Hiddink.

Hiddink has tasted success at both club and international stages with PSV Eindhoven, South Korea, Australia and Russia among others.

His teams are known for their open attacking brand of football, a must for any incoming manager who wishes to satisfy Arsenal fans. One need only cast their minds back to some of the football Russia played during Euro 2008 to see what Hiddink's teams are capable of creating.

He is a strong and determined coach who does not stand for prima donna behaviour.

Hiddink is a widely respected manager and one highly sought after. He has said previously that he is happy in the international set-up and has little want to return to club management, perhaps the lure of Arsenal would be too much to turn down.

The ex-player

I argue that there is a romance in every single football fan and I am no different. How beautiful would it be if an ex-Arsenal player were to take over the reigns at the Emirates when we finally bid farewell to the Professeur?

Sadly I doubt it'll be Tony Adams. I never had him down as having the temperment of a manager, however I think he would make a brilliant No. 2.

But No. 2 to whom?

How about one of the best players ever to grace the Premier League or indeed World Football?

Even in 2009, if you go down the Grove on match day you will see many Arsenal fans with either "Pure Genius" or "Iceman" scrawled across the back of their shirts. If you don't support Arsenal, you may not know whom they are speaking of until you see the number 10 beneath the writing.

It can only be Dennis Bergkamp.

Upon his retirement, Bergkamp said he had no interest in coaching. However, in May of last year he began a fast-track diploma in coaching for former Dutch international footballers.

However, because of his fear of flying, he studied under Wenger in London before recently moving to Ajax to become striking coach for the club.

He has reiterated that he would not turn down an opportunity for a coaching role at Arsenal, stating, “I wouldn’t rule out [working at Arsenal in some capacity], I really love this club and the country and I love working here".

Should he become Arsenal manager or indeed manager of any club, Bergkamp will surely have to get over his fear of flying.

But what a nice ideal it is to have to think Arsenal could be successful under two former players. Indeed two players who were so brilliant and instrumental to the club that even Arsene Wenger allowed them the opportunity to retire at Arsenal.

Bergkamp and Adams the dream team—you heard it here first.

These are just four possibilities who I believe could one day take over from Arsene Wenger.

There is the option to promote from within with Boro Primorac, the chance of a young gun in Slaven Bilic, the reliable old head in Guus Hiddink or the dream team of Bergkamp and Adams.

Regardless this is one for the time machine. Arsene Wenger is going nowhere and has little time to think of who make takeover from him.

After all he has an FA Cup replay to win, a title race to get back in to and when he gets time, a plot to construct to knock Roma out of the Champions League.

Whoever does become next manager of Arsenal in whatever year that may be, I can only wish him luck.

To say he has big shoes to fill might may well be the understatement of the century.