Arsene Wenger has 'one more year at Arsenal', says Nigel Winterburn
Friday 29 April 2016 13:24, UK
Former Arsenal defender Nigel Winterburn has warned Arsene Wenger he may have just one more year to prove he can lead the Gunners to the title.
In a season where Leicester City and Tottenham have been the unlikely contenders for the Premier League trophy, Arsenal have failed to maintain a serious title charge.
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The Gunners' campaign has sparked frustration among the fans, with protests planned for the Sky Live home game against Norwich on Saturday evening, and Winterburn has suggested Wenger is now in the crunch phase of his near 20-year reign in north London.
Speaking to Sky Sports Now, Winterburn, who spent 13 seasons with the Gunners from 1987, said: "The problem Arsenal had was they sold the dream of moving to the new stadium to be able to compete with the big clubs.
The club has very special values and one is to stick together and support the team - there is no success otherwise.
"I think what's happened is they've moved backwards in terms of being able to challenge for the title.
Winterburn feels that if being judged over a three-year period, Wenger is running out of time to produce a title.
"Yes they've been successful in terms of getting into the Champions League, but ... I would go back two years and then next year, because they are coming out of that period now. He's just said it: 'We've got the financial clout'. So in my eyes in those three years they would have to at least had a very, very strong challenge for the title.
"They won't do it this season obviously, they didn't do it last season so they have to do it next season, but they have to spend money."
Wenger responded to criticism in his news briefing ahead of the Norwich game calling on supporters to back his team rather than take part in the scheduled protests, but Winterburn admits he has sympathy with the fans who last enjoyed Premier League success with the Invincibles of 2003-04.
"Arsene Wenger will have to go out this summer and spend money because if he doesn't, the supporters will look at it and say, 'Well, we are out of this financial restraint that we were in now. We're not good enough to win the league this season, so we've got to spend some money and re-strengthen,'" he said.
"I believe Wenger will have to do that. If they do that then it may be that the supporters will back him. But there is certainly a large majority who are feeling they've been sold the wrong dream at the moment and it's time for Wenger to go.
"Having worked under him, I still think he is the man to take them forward, but they've got to get those signings right this season and the earlier they do it the better, because then the fans will look at that and say, 'Oh, well, okay, it looks like we do mean business this time.'"
Leicester are just three points away from claiming their first top-flight title despite spending the majority of last season in a relegation battle.
The Foxes' remarkable season has surprised and captivated the football world and Winterburn believes their success on a much smaller budget has reflected poorly on the top teams, especially Arsenal.
"We're talking about Arsenal needing to spend money to win the league, but we are looking at a team this season in Leicester who haven't spent a huge amount of money," he said.
"It's their organisation and their desire, that has taken them to the brink of winning the Premier League.
"If it had been one of the top teams who had won the title this season then I think the supporters would have said, 'well okay we've got a big team winning it', but instead they are looking at it and saying 'well this was our year.'"
