Arsène Wenger
Monday, August 1, 2016
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Arsenal FC
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Date of birth: 22 October 1949
Nationality: French
Playing career: AS Mutzig, FC Mulhouse, AS Vauban, RC Strasbourg
Coaching career: RC Strasbourg (assistant coach), AS Cannes (assistant coach), AS Nancy-Lorraine, AS Monaco FC, Nagoya Grampus Eight, Arsenal FC
• Not the most successful of players, Arsène Wenger has more than made up for that as a coach, turning Arsenal into one of Europe's top teams.
• Born in Strasbourg, Wenger worked at Strasbourg and Cannes before Nancy-Lorraine offered him his big break. He impressed sufficiently to be offered the job as coach of Monaco in 1987.
• Within a year Monaco scooped the French title and Wenger the Coach of the Year award. He led the side to 1991 French Cup glory, then the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup final where they lost to SV Werder Bremen. After reportedly turning down France and FC Bayern München, he moved on to Japan and enjoyed huge success with Grampus Eight.
• Appointed by Arsenal in September 1996, Wenger became the first non-Briton to win the Premier League, in 1998, adding the first of six FA Cup triumphs. The Gunners lost the 2000 UEFA Cup final to Galatasaray AŞ but claimed another domestic double in 2002, and in 2003/04 played some thrilling attacking football en route to becoming the first team since 1889 to negotiate an English top-flight season unbeaten.
• Wenger nearly topped all his achievements by taking Arsenal to the 2006 UEFA Champions League final, only for FC Barcelona to come from behind to win 2-1. Arsenal's move to their new stadium later that year was instigated by Wenger, who ended nine years without a trophy by guiding Arsenal to the 2014 FA Cup and retained the trophy a year later, the club's 12th triumph in the competition – setting a new record that was equalled by Manchester United FC 12 months later.