Club icon Robert Pires believes Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger may not be suited for the England managerial position because of his love for the day-to-day coaching aspect of club management.
Robert Pires played six seasons under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. During his time at the club, the Frenchman learned a lot from the manager and Wenger’s influence helped Pires scale new heights in his footballing career.
Now, after spending twenty years at the helm, Wenger is in the final year of his latest contract and is being linked with the England job. Due to a shocking scandal that saw Sam Allardyce sacked by the FA a mere 67 days after being appointed, England are looking for a quality manager to replace the former Sunderland boss.
Wenger has been linked with the England job on a number of occasions in the past and has acknowledged his interest in managing the Three Lions one day in his career. If he does finally leave Arsenal at the end of this campaign, it is possible that a switch to international football interests him.
However, according to Arsenal legend Robert Pires, the position would not suit the philosophy of the 66-year-old. Wenger is know for a hands-on approach and having a one-to-one relation with each of his players — something which will be harder to establish if he manages the national side.
During the launch of the Star Sixes indoor international football tournament at the Leaders Sport Business summit, Pires said (via ESPN): “The situation is simple, Wenger is the manager for Arsenal. I know him, he wants to go to the pitch every morning.
“This is the most important [thing for him]. If he takes this job, it’s not the same. So, for the moment I cannot imagine Wenger working for England. This is my opinion.
“I see Arsene. He love the pitch every morning. This is like an obsession, it’s a passion. You know manager for the national team is not really the same because he loves football. This is my opinion.”
Gareth Southgate has been appointed on an interim basis by the FA to guide the team for the next four matches. A permanent appointment is likely to be made after the 2016/17 campaign.
