Robbie Savage: Arsene Wenger’s Past Has Kept Him In The Job

Robbie Savage doesn’t think Wenger’s at Arsenal on current merit…

As Arsene Wenger celebrated 21 years at the club with a 2-0 win against Brighton at the Emirates Stadium, Robbie Savage claimed that the boss’ longevity has kept him in a job.

The Frenchman extended his contract by another two years in May despite mass protests to end his reign, and a poor start to the campaign only heightened those calls.

Back-to-back defeats in August and a poor transfer window hasn’t brightened the mood around the club, although we’ve seen an upturn in form in recent weeks.

Many will undoubtedly point at a more favourable run of fixtures with one eye on back-to-back clashes against Manchester City and Spurs as a more suitable test to view where we’re at.

However, for Savage, Wenger’s lack of major success in recent years would’ve had him looking for a new job were it not for his early triumphs as Gunners boss.

“I think people do give him enough credit and probably that credit may have kept him in a job for longer than possibly it should’ve,” Savage said on BT Sport.

“A lot of people say when we won the FA Cup maybe he should’ve gone.

“The credit he’s built up from those years (Invincibles), I believe that’s why he’s still in a job today.”

Savage won’t be getting any brownie points for stating the obvious, no matter how many times Ivan Gazidis claims that Wenger isn’t here due to sentimental values.

A manager with the Frenchman’s record over the past 10 years wouldn’t have stayed at any other big club, but Wenger’s relationship with Arsenal differs from any other.

Check out Owen and Savage’s assessment on Wenger’s tenure in the video above.

source: BT Sport