Support for Arsene Wenger has vanished since 2015 but Arsenal fans couldn't bear to see him fired

Two years ago, fans were united behind our manager... now that support has vanished
Sign of the times: disillusioned Arsenal fans make their feelings known during a recent home match at the Emirates
EPA
Tim Payton31 March 2017

More than three quarters of fans from the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust think it is time for Arsene Wenger to leave. I never thought I would write those words but that is the conclusion from the survey we ran last week.

The bond between the club’s longest-serving manager and the fans has, until recently, remained strong. Sure, many grew frustrated with aspects of his management and called for change but only now do a majority believe it is time for him to go.

Our membership includes shareholders, season-ticket holders, home, away and overseas fans. It is a broad church with a shared belief in the important role of supporters in the life of the club.

The last time the same membership was asked about Wenger was in the summer of 2015, when 84 per cent agreed he was the right person to manage the club. The AST membership has remained steady since then, demonstrating the extent to which the fans’ views have changed.

But reading behind the headline results of the survey demonstrates just how difficult this issue is for many. In addition to the questions, we asked for written feedback and received 450 responses.

Half of those had positive comments about Wenger and less than three per cent of fans directly called for him to be fired. Most talked mainly about stepping aside, retirement or succession plan. However, there was a clear overall opinion that the manager’s time is at an end.

These results help explain why there have not been mass demonstrations against the manager and why, despite a consensus on what should happen, there are differing views on how to get there. Scores of empty seats at recent games show many find staying away is the best way to articulate their views.

Arsene Wenger facing one of his biggest months at Arsenal

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The AST will report these results to the Arsenal board, including directly to chief executive Ivan Gazidis. We hope the board will show some much-needed leadership and move decisively to secure a positive ending. We also need the club to get on top of the huge amount of work needed to negotiate new contracts and sign world-class talent to strengthen the team.

I would love Wenger to pre-empt this issue and announce his departure before the season ends. That way fans can use the final games of his remarkable career to give him the rousing send-off he deserves but is in danger of missing out on.

The AST have long believed that change is needed in the Arsenal boardroom. The fact that only nine per cent of our members believe the board has handled this issue well reinforces our view that a fresh approach is urgently needed.

The board needs more dynamic and independent members with skills that reflect the challenges Arsenal face, including the need to grow commercial revenues and to rebuild a football management structure that increasingly looks out of date.

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