Just Who Is Arsenal's Greatest Ever Manager?

[franksav63]

George Graham without a shadow of a doubt.

[Bunting14]

Voted for Chapman. However part of his coaching team (and George Allisons) was Tom Whittaker who in his own right should be up for consideration as greatest ever Arsenal manager.

[1989]

Chapman.

[brazilianGOONER]

Herbert Chapman.

We had not won a trophy before he arrived.
Under his leadership we became the most famous and biggest club in the world, until the war derailed us.

He was as much an innovator as Wenger, perhaps more so.

Introduced higher fitness levels.
Introduced physios and masseurs.
Tactical soundness, by taking the emerging WM formation and refining it.
Open to ideas from his players, famously the team meeting where Charlie Buchan suggested the WM formation.
Designed turnstiles, and the clock.
Decided on red and white top.
As far as I know, made us first UK club to have floodlights.
Advocated white footballs and numbered shirts for easier identification.
Got Gillespie Road underground station name changed to Arsenal.
Died in the name of the club, by insisting on seeing a third team game when he had a cold, which turned to pneumonia.

Wenger has done a lot of great things for the club, his legacy being the trophies, style of play, stadium and two training grounds, but Chapman and his innovations took us from a non descript club to the most famous in the world.

voted chapman, this post from quartz sums it up

[flash gunner]

Wenger IMO

[REB]

if wenger had left 4-5 years ago there wouldn't even be a debate that he is our greatest manager but the last 7-8 seasons has changed a lot of peoples opinion of him . for me it has to be wenger.

[northbank123]

if wenger had left 4-5 years ago there wouldn't even be a debate that he is our greatest manager but the last 7-8 seasons has changed a lot of peoples opinion of him . for me it has to be wenger.

Agreed. Had he left in 2006 it would be hard to look past him tbh after a decade of great success with the added bonus of fantastic football and, of course, DB10 (even though he was signed before). It really is sad that he's still doing so much to destroy his legacy.

[I Hate Hleb]

if wenger had left 4-5 years ago there wouldn't even be a debate that he is our greatest manager but the last 7-8 seasons has changed a lot of peoples opinion of him . for me it has to be wenger.

Really? Even given all the criteria I outlined in my first post? If it's just down to trophies won - or how in the case of the Invincibles - I could maybe understand it, but factoring in all those other things surely places Wenger below the other two in terms of all round management?

[falkirk goon]

George Graham for me 2championships 2league cups 1 fa cup and a european trophy

[A dallying Gus Caesar]

According to your criteria, I'd make it Wenger. On the whole, he probably is.

- 2 Doubles
- Invincible season
- New stadium
- New training ground
- Worldwide support
- Reputation for attractive football

As much as I think he has massively under-achieved in the last 7 years, he probably is still our greatest manager.

I would just about plump for Wenger. As much as I want him out now, his reign at the club, for the first half of his time here, was fantastic.

The only thing that could distort things is the fact that Herb died before he had a chance to finish his work. Much take that into account.

[REB]

if wenger had left 4-5 years ago there wouldn't even be a debate that he is our greatest manager but the last 7-8 seasons has changed a lot of peoples opinion of him . for me it has to be wenger.

Really? Even given all the criteria I outlined in my first post? If it's just down to trophies won - or how in the case of the Invincibles - I could maybe understand it, but factoring in all those other things surely places Wenger below the other two in terms of all round management?

my opinion

[clockender1]

i think you have to look at the whole tenure not just pick out the good bits.

GG changed the club, Chapman and AW changed the game of football.

GG was unlucky that the the '89 side never got to compete in the EC. we might of won it. and might of won it again in 91, who knows. the famous five were his legacy. Chapman was the best of his Generation, cut tragically down too soon and as previously pointed out he left a legacy in whittaker n the team.

AW has no legacy - the team, the stadium, the fortress at home, the style of play, all gone.

98 to 2004 was a wonderful time, but nine years without a league title, come on ....

1. Herb
2. GG
3. AW

[Barriecuda]

i think you have to look at the whole tenure not just pick out the good bits.

GG changed the club, Chapman and AW changed the game of football.

GG was unlucky that the the '89 side never got to compete in the EC. we might of won it. and might of won it again in 91, who knows. the famous five were his legacy. Chapman was the best of his Generation, cut tragically down too soon and as previously pointed out he left a legacy in whittaker n the team.

AW has no legacy - the team, the stadium, the fortress at home, the style of play, all gone.

98 to 2004 was a wonderful time, but nine years without a league title, come on ....

1. Herb
2. GG
3. AW

A lack of success later doesn't negate earlier successes.

Has to be Wenger for me. Much more competitive era, he delivered an unbeatable season (there is a reason that hasn't been done in ~150 years) and took us to the CL final; brought in our all-time top goal scorer who was far from prolific upon his arrival; brought in Vieira, one of our greatest central mids ever; helped us move to a stadium of almost twice the size. Plus several other major trophies along the way, even shortly after arriving in 1996 when we weren't really world beaters.

We're all annoyed with the current Wenger, his team, and the lack of success, but people are starting to act way too spoiled. It actually makes me angry how many people take the Invincible season for granted lately - that was a stunning feat.

But the truth is a lot of older fans hold the late 80s and early 90s closer and will choose Graham, while those who's more sentimental years watching Arsenal were the late 90s and mid 2000s more will probably choose Wenger.

[Offside]

Herbert Chapman

He made Arsenal great when beforehand we'd been a nothing club.

[flash gunner]

i think you have to look at the whole tenure not just pick out the good bits.

GG changed the club, Chapman and AW changed the game of football.

GG was unlucky that the the '89 side never got to compete in the EC. we might of won it. and might of won it again in 91, who knows. the famous five were his legacy. Chapman was the best of his Generation, cut tragically down too soon and as previously pointed out he left a legacy in whittaker n the team.

AW has no legacy - the team, the stadium, the fortress at home, the style of play, all gone.

98 to 2004 was a wonderful time, but nine years without a league title, come on ....

1. Herb
2. GG
3. AW

We were in it in '91-'92 and went out to Benfica