Theo Walcott has now shared an interesting theory he holds about Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.
The Arsenal cult hero made a whopping 397 appearances under the Frenchman during his 12 years at the Emirates Stadium, so he is certainly well placed to speak about the 74-year-old.
So, what did Theo Walcott say about Arsene Wenger? Let’s take a look…
Theo Walcott shares theory about Arsene Wenger at Arsenal
Well, the 35-year-old revealed that the man from Strasbourg would always reveal his starting lineups very late.
Walcott has a theory Wenger did this because he was wary of being confronted by those unhappy to be left out.
The man from Stanmore told BBC 5 Live Sport: “My experience with Arsene Wenger, he used to give the squads so late. The reason being – I always believe – I don’t think Arsene really liked confrontation from players. As well, it’s a game day, players aren’t going to want to bother the manager if they are not picked in the team.
“He is going to want to see a reaction from those who have not been picked, which is like, pick me next time. That’s where I feel with subs you need to not overthink it. When you come out of the game, enjoy every moment even if you are on the bench and not playing, because it will soon pass.”
Wenger never came across as a shouty, aggressive manager during his time in English football – unlike Sir Alex Ferguson – so perhaps he really was keen to avoid disputes with his players wherever possible.
In that respect, Walcott’s theory may have some credence about it.
Might not work nowadays
Wenger’s man-management methods clearly worked, as he enjoyed 22 hugely successful years at Arsenal.
However, leaving footballers in the dark like this probably wouldn’t have the same impact nowadays, as player power reaches new extremes and leaks are often made to the media, as well as agents.
Nevertheless, Wenger’s methods were clearly effective for Walcott, who impressively scored 108 goals and provided 79 assists in 397 appearances under the Frenchman.
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