Thank you, Arsene Wenger

There should be a statue of Arsene Wenger outside the Emirates with his pumped fists rejoicing over another lovely Arsenal move providing an Henry goal. There can be no doubt that Wenger built this ground through his sheer brilliance in the transfer market (please see signings of Toure, Eboue, Fabregas, and the sales on Anelka, Petit and Overmars) and finding immense success with and for the club.

Arsenal are now comfortably one of the biggest 5-10 clubs in the world and now have all of the big club acroutrements in the state of the art training ground at Colney, the wide network of scouts, the beautiful new stadium, as well as the world's best player, the best young player, the best teenager... etc etc.

And the best manager.

Arsenal FC owe this man for the gulf between winning doubles, playing 49 matches undefeated, contesting CL finals against Barcelona all while staying true to outrageously entertaining football and being Tottenham Hotspur.

Wenger brought with him an approach to training and diet that has altered the sport in England forever. He also brought an approach to team building where technique and potential were more vital than experience and being English. Now clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid all come in for young players we show an interest in. But where United buy Gerard Pique and Liam Miller and where Chelsea buy Lassana Diarra and Glen Johnson, Arsene Wenger buys 15 year olds like Francesc Fabregas, players with immense youthful raw talent like Manu Eboue or wonderkid Fran Merida ... and makes them world beaters. Wenger also imposed a beautiful pass and move style of football that has changed how the world perceived us and won us many friends and admirers.

No man is bigger than Arsenal Football Club but Arsene Wenger comes close to being irreplaceable to the club's continued success.

Thank you Arsene.

Good to be a GOONAH!!