I’m a newer fan who only started watching the club over the past 2 seasons. I’ve been trying to learn the history of the club, and I’m confused why there was hate for Wenger at the end of his career. I learned that he lead the invincible’s, and that amazing squad from the early 2000s, he gave us the only champions league final appearance in club history, and even after that he seem to do an amazing job. Heck he even got a new Stadium that is really nice. He seemed to be loved. By all accounts he should be a Saint to the gooners but then I look forward a few years, and they were all these Wenger out protests. What led to such a fall from grace.
Wenger was very stubborn and set in his beliefs. One of those was that players cost too much after performing well in the World Cup and Euros. He thought Ozil was too expensive when he broke out and ended up going to Madrid for 15 million even though there was a lot of talk at the time about how he’d be great for Arsenal. A few years later and Wenger spent 42.5 million for Ozil.
The point is, managers mis-judge players and make mistakes all the time. Wasn’t only Wenger. But his rigid belief system in all areas of management didn’t transition into the new age of competitiveness very well. By the end it was like watching ballerinas getting beaten up by rugby players.
That’s not true on Ozil. Ozil chose to go Madrid, financials weren’t an issue. He even said to Wenger if he leaves, he wanted to go to where Wenger was.