Ex-Arsenal Stars Parlour And Keown Advocate For Honourary Wenger Statue
Former Arsenal stars Ray Parlour and Martin Keown believe a statue should be erected outside the Emirates stadium for the club’s legendary former manager Arsene Wenger.
Wenger spent 22 years in charge of Arsenal, winning three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups to become the Gunners’ most successful manager.
Wenger also presided over Arsenal’s transition from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in the summer of 2006.
The Frenchman’s tenure in North London came to an end two years ago and he was replaced by Unai Emery, who has since left, with Mikel Arteta taking his place.
Parlour and Keown were all part of Arsenal’s three title wins under Wenger, including the 2003/2004 ‘Invincibles’ squad who went the entire league season without losing a game.
Arsenal have statues of club legends Thierry Henry, Tony Adams and Dennis Bergkamp outside their home grounds but in an interview with the Daily Mail, Keown and Parlour were unanimous in their suggestion that Wenger should be added to that illustrious list.
"Before him, we finished 10th, fourth, 12th, fifth in the Premier League. Then we won three titles with him," Keown told the Daily Mail.
"That’s why he deserves a statue," Parlour added. "He’s the one who created the Emirates, if you like. He’s the one who had that focus to say Highbury, as much as we all loved it, was not big enough."
"Wenger was a visionary. He should be in the board room," Keown said.
"Could he have done that? Wenger loved the day-to-day; the training; the matches," Parlour responded.
"What’s the alternative, though?" Keown replied. "The alternative is what he’s got now — no official link to Arsenal Football Club when he should be sitting proudly in the board room. When I hear him talk, he still says ‘us’ and ‘we’. Have Wenger on the board and put his expertise to use."
