Ken Friar... worked under George Allison and Arsene Wenger

Friar - Arsène is a very, very special man

To commemorate Arsène Wenger becoming the Gunners' longest-serving manager, Arsenal.com caught up with Ken Friar.

The long-serving Director offered us his thoughts on the Frenchman's Arsenal reign and reminisced about the man who Wenger has eclipsed - George Allison.

Mr. Friar, thanks for your time. As you know, Arsène Wenger becomes our longest-ever serving manager on Thursday. When did you first hear about Arsène?
It was in about 1996. We had heard about Arsène before then but he came to our attention then and was relatively unknown. David Dein had a big part to play in bringing Arsène to the Club because he knew him before. David introduced Arsène to the Board, and then Peter Hill-Wood, Danny Fiszman and David Dein travelled to Japan to meet with Arsène.

They were convinced by the discussions they had with him that he was the right man to lead the Club forward. They showed a lot of faith in the man. They were decisive, came back and made the recommendation to the full Board. This was unanimously supported by the Board. Arsène then joined us after he'd completed his contract at Grampus Eight.
 
Earlier in the week, Arsène said it was a bit of a gamble by the Board to take him on. Did you see it that way at the time?
Well, I suppose we are relatively risk-averse but we did not feel that we were taking such a big gamble on Arsène. He'd done well at Monaco - he'd won the French title there, he was French Manager Of The Year - so he wasn't a complete rookie coming off Hackney Marshes! He did have a reputation but the man himself engendered an enormous amount of confidence as a person and in his ability. We could all see the future with him but yes, we've taken risks but you try and minimise those risks don't you.
 
Arsène was officially appointed on October 1, 1996. When did you feel secure in your decision? Was there a moment when you thought 'yes, this man fits with our football club?
On October 2! Arsène is a very, very special man and that just shines through, so there was never any lack of confidence and there has never been a thought of having a lack of confidence in him.
 
How big an achievement is it to be in charge of any club for 13 years, but particularly a massive club like Arsenal?
I don't think the average person appreciates the stress that's involved. He works tirelessly all hours. For instance, after the Olympiacos match, he left very late at 11pm but he was still in the training ground first thing the following morning and he'll be there until 6pm if not later. He's totally, totally dedicated.
 
Has Arsène been a major factor in turning Arsenal into one of the most modern, forward-thinking clubs in Europe?
Most certainly, yes. Arsène came here in 1996 and he really picked the team up tremendously at that time. He took very little time to settle down and he has been in my view an absolute treasure in the success that he's brought with him. In the period he's been here he's won three League titles, four FA Cups, four Charity Shields, plus we've been finalists in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Cup and the Carling Cup. That record just speaks for itself and illustrates what an absolutely tremendous job Arsène has done.

Arsène had a great deal of input into design and construction of the new training ground too. That was a most exciting development and it was his forethought that really drove the whole project on. His hallmark is on virtually every detail of that training ground, whether it be the condition of the pitches, the undersoil heating, the imaginative way he designed all the rooms. Then there's the dressing rooms themselves, the way he's changed the catering and he's got players now on diets that never happened before. His attention to detail has been absolutely immense.

And of course, when we decided to move to new stadium, Arsène's input was vitally important for two reasons. One, we could never have built that stadium without the success that he's brought us, and, two, we were so fortunate to have Arsène's eye for detail in designing the playing areas that are used on a regular basis. The fact that we are probably now the foremost in terms of design pays great tribute to the contribution that Arsène made.
 
On the pitch, before Arsène Wenger, Arsenal were 'boring, boring Arsenal', now they're anything but.
The football which Arsène has produced through his teams has definitely allowed us to have a 60,000 gate regularly. It has been a joy and pleasure watching Arsène's brand of football over the years - and long may it continue.

My personal view is that if Arsène wasn't here he'd be running one of a number of major corporations. He's a great man-manager, he's a man with vision, he certainly doesn't think in a straightforward tramline way.
 
Arsène Wenger been loyal to the Club and that's a quality we perhaps see less and less in football nowadays.
Arsène has always respected the way the Club has been structured and he's fully embraced the spirit and traditions of Arsenal Football Club. If you look back through the managers we've had at the Club over the years, the majority of them have been here a long time compared with many other clubs. Arsène has respected this and he's a very, very loyal person.
 
Can you just tell us a little bit about George Allison, the man whose record he has beaten?
I was young when George Allison was manager, but I was fortunate to meet him. My memory of him is that he had a big booming voice that would make you shake in your shoes when he talked to you. He was the manager when I first came to work at the Club as a youngster. I didn't really get to know him well, but his big booming voice is what I remember. I was so small at the time and he certainly he gave me a rollicking once or twice!
 
How have you found Arsène as a human being, away from football?
He's absolutely superb. I've known him ever since he came to the Club. He's very friendly, he's got a great sense of humour and I speak to him regularly. I've got on extremely well with him.
 
I've travelled abroad with him for various transfer deals. Sometimes when you're sitting with four or five people of different nationalities, he holds a conversation with each of them within two minutes - his people skills and diplomacy are just fantastic.
 
Arsène is simply a great human being, a good family man and I hold him in the highest respect.
 
How long do you think Arsène will be here?
Well, I don't think we would want him here in another 40 or 50 years [laughs]! We will all be very, very sad when the day comes when Arsène decides he's had enough. We will never have enough of him and he will be welcome here with his lovely wife Annie and his daughter Leah forever. They are now part of the Club's history. Arsène has engraved himself on the Club forever and that I think is the greatest tribute to anybody. The fact that, no matter how many years go by, Arsène will always be remembered. That cannot be said about many people.
 
And just finally how would you sum up your feelings on Arsène?
Arsenal Football Club owes Arsène Wenger a great debt in terms of putting us where we are today. Although there are many other people involved, it's like a great meal - if there's nobody there to eat it, it doesn't get appreciated. And we've got 60,000 people eating the meal regularly.

He's been remarkable and we're very, very fortunate to have him with us. The 13 years seems to have gone so quickly and soon [October 22] we shall be celebrating the 39th anniversary of his 21st birthday [laughs again]!

[Thursday, October 01, 2009]

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