Wenger is still top Gunner, claims former Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER - Last updated at 1:11 PM on 7th August 2011
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... senal.html

Dein told Sportsweek on BBC Radio Five Live: "Arsene Wenger will admit he has had the most difficult couple of years of his career, for two reasons. One is the fact the game is getting more competitive, we have seen more money coming in so the competition out there is more intense. Secondly, he has had to contend with the fact he hasn't achieved what he would have hoped to achieve, albeit he has done remarkably well in the quality and style of play. But he himself, and the fans, want to win trophies. Arsene is very focused and very determined. I see him regularly, I see a man who still has as much fire in the belly today as when he started. He wants to win. I believe in his ability and I know for a fact he is trying very hard to improve the squad this year and I hope he does it. People have got to remember what he has achieved. It is easy in life to get rid of people. Then what? How do you follow Arsene Wenger? That is going to be the trick for the board and it is not going to be an easy exercise."

Dein left Arsenal in 2007 due to 'irreconcilable differences' with the board, linked to his support for the involvement of American billionaire Stan Kroenke. Kroenke is now the majority shareholder at Arsenal and Dein feels he has some 'unfinished business' at the club. Asked whether he has any regrets over introducing them to Arsenal, Dein said: "We are getting on to territory which is very sensitive for me because I felt I had something extra to contribute. I had a great working relationship with Arsene Wenger, I respect him enormously and I think in a way that was unfinished business. The regrets I have is not working on a daily basis with Arsene. We had that special chemistry that worked for 11 years."

Dein was one of the architects of the Premier League and, leading into its 20th season, he has been defending the spiralling player wages and the arrival of foreign owners into English football. Dein believes the imminent introduction of UEFA's new Financial Fair Play rules will help to address the debt that many Premier League clubs are in. But Dein warned the authorities will have to enforce the regulations rigorously because he expects some clubs will try and find a way around them. "There is a train coming down the line at a pretty fast pace and that is called UEFA's Financial Fair Play. That will come in in the next 24 months. That may slow down a lot of clubs' expenditure," said Dein. "Saving a club from themselves? I think it may slow them down and bring a bit of discipline. Like any new rule it is important it should be respected. We don't want to see it as a licence to cheat, where artificial income is created from outside sources. You may well find clubs try and boost their income so they have more opportunity of spending money. When rules are put in people try and find ways around them. I am sure people will try."

The article touches on a few issues but the main purpose of posting this is Deins possible come back. I know its very unlikely but its got to be addressed. We all know Dein and Wenger have a great relationship and his love for the club is next to none. I sincerely hope a good debate can unfold here with regards to David Dein as its not something we should be over looking.

Well it's something Kroenke is overlooking He, by all reports, does not want Dein at the club. And somebody already has his job. He ain't coming back soon.

The guy who has his job makes me cringe every time I hear him speak. The level of vocab the man possess is all very good but constantly being hammered with it can make your ears bleed and stomach churn.

Stanley overlooks Dein because of how things unfolded, we all know this but wasn't it David himself who brought Stan to the clubs attention? All be it he then went and made a bent moving selling shares to the Russian. Anyway in my mind Deins still got a major role to play at Arsenal officially. I say officially as he seems to be working from the outside at the moment where as he should be at the club.

Say what you like about this man bottom line is that he's needed back at Arsenal. Whats happened has happened, forget and lets move on. The board, the single most unselfish thing that they can do for this club and I mean this club is accepting David back whether his status is changed or whatever I don't care as long as he's Wengers right hand man taking care of transfers etc. we'll be a success. Wenger needs him, we need him back.

I dont see how people can say Wenger is behind with the times and then wish Dein back. How well connected is he now 4 years or so out of the game? Gazidis is not necessarily performing well in his role, evidenced by the number of bungled transfer dealings, but I do wonder why people think Dein would be doing anything better. If a pro-Dein supporter can rationalise it I would be interested to hear, but I remain unconvinced of what he would bring.

i dont see sense in your suggestion that Davids lost it. Dont be fooled in thinking the guys lived under a rock since leaving Arsenal.

I know he is still heavily involved in football. But that doesnt answer my question, what is it you think he is needed for at Arsenal? What role? What would he do that others arent and what skill set does he have that a person not involved with Arsenal at all hasnt got?

I echo robinyourpersie - what do you think having David Dein back would add to this club? Why do you think having him would suddenly change anything?

Nobody wanted Usmanov at the club so it's pointless pining for Dein, for when the only way he'll return is as his right hand man. Sorry, but you can't have it all.

Why should somebody be brought in to appease an underachieving manager?

Nudging Wenger in the right direction. Bringing back unity. Getting transfers done and dusted. Getting the right men in.



Negotiator, Wengers aid.



The heads at Arsenal are up Wengers crack. Yes they do speak when needed but thats at the very end, other than that they could not convince Arsene to do something he wouldn't have thought of because he, Wenger hasn't got the same relationship with them as he did and still has with Dein. Arsene and Davids skills put together crush all of them, its a miss match with them being on a completely different side of business to the 'Boss' and Dein.



He'd change Wengers ways.



Alex Fynn > viewtopic.php?f=28&t=24509 did speak of a disaster happening before the board calling Usmanov to the table and with that if Wenger puts his name forward.. Dein too.

He's underachieving because he thinks he knows best when he doesn't. Theres not 1 head at Arsenal that could convince him otherwise the only person that would is Dein.

Then he's not the right man for the job then is he? You can't be dependent upon other people guiding at the age Wenger is and with all his experience. I disagree with the notion that the arrival of Dein would see a change in Wenger's ways. By no means is it as clear cut as 'In comes David Dein, all of a sudden Wenger starts buying the right players, picking the right teams and making the right subs.'

So because 1 man can't run the show we get rid? Its a business, it takes all sorts of personnel to make it a success isn't that what we're asking for? A mix up. We're missing an integral part to success and to me its David Dein.

It's not that. It's just that will David Dein have an effect on some fundamental aspects of management that Wenger is currently getting very wrong? No.

David Dein is not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

In addition to Eden Hazard and 4-4-2, I assume?

Seriously, in my humble opinion it's naive to think of Dein as the Messiah. He left Arsenal five years ago, and football and Arsenal have moved on big time since then. I am not saying that he is completely out of touch with football, but you cannot assume that he would come in and do a good job under completely different circumstances and in completely different structures at the club. In addition to that, let's not forget that the contractual situation at the club was far from perfect under Dean. Wiltord, Kanu, Flamini and Edu left for free, Hleb invoked the Webster clause, Henry was on huge wages so we had to sell him under his market value, just to mention a few. Let's not forget that Dein wasn't some kind of miracle worker. I don't want to downplay his successes, but there's no reason to glorify his influence and his skills either (basically, this is the Wilshere effect).

Secondly, it's not only naive but also desperate to wish for Dein to come back. He left the club, with £75m in his pocket, he sold his shares to Usmanov. Two fingers up for the plurality of ownership of the club, and a massive profit for him. If "his love for the club is next to none", as you say in the opening post, I would like to ask why he decided to sell his shares in the first place, and to Usmanov of all people. If you love the club that much, you don't sell out to Usmanov, and not in the circumstances in which it happened.

What kind of forward thinking is this anyway? Things aren't working out, and on top of bringing back Henry (not to mention Campbell and Lehmann) we bring back Dein? Those figures were important in the past, but we should move on and try to implement new characters that have their own influence on the club.