I miss him
Arsène Wenger, our collective footballing father, or uncle. Either way, he played a significant role in all of our lives, as he shaped the Premier League into what it is today and was responsible for some of the most scintillating football this country has ever seen.
His powers waned as he grew older, and fresher minds overtook him tactically, but he remains a Godfather of football, to whom we should all be grateful. His nuggets of wisdom were a welcome treat on Match of the Day, just as much as his “I did not see it” lines.
In an old video that has recently surfaced on social media, Wenger is seen explaining the key stages of developing young players. He is speaking on a television show, hosted by Rick Edwards and Andy Goldstein during their younger days. Cesc Fàbregas is also seen lurking in the background. It’s all a bit weird, but Wenger’s wisdom shines through, as he compares building a footballer to a house.
“The basement, you know, the basis of a player, is the technique. You get that between seven and 14 years of age. If you have no technical skill at 14, you can forget it,” he says.
“The first floor, is the physical aspect of the player. Unfortunately that is decided between 14 and 17, when you see… ok, he will be quick enough, strong enough.”
“The second floor is the tactical aspect; does he understand the game?”
He then concluded that “the final part is decided at 18, 19 years of age, is ‘how much do I want to be successful?'”
https://twitter.com/msceducation/status/1041367264417775616
The footballing world is a worse place without Wenger. Here’s to hoping he finds somewhere to implement his wisdom soon, whether that’s in a coaching role or higher upstairs.
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