Book Review: "Arsene Wenger - The Authorised Biography" by Xavier Riviore

Arsene Wenger - The Authorised Biography

In today’s world of the ever-revolving door of managers, to be at one club for close to two decades tells something about the man. Arsenal and Arsene Wenger are synonymous with each other, especially in the Premier League era. The impact that he has had on the club can only be matched by that of the legendary Herbert Chapman in the 1930s.

Back then, Mr. Chapman was a revolutionary of his time, credited with the iconic WM formation that he made famous, bringing in the changes that form the present day football. Arsene has had a similar impact on the club, the fans and English football in general.

But it’s not what he has done for the club that as a fan, or interested party, you want to read about. That is already available in the public domain. In Xavier Riviore’s Arsene Wenger: The Authorised Biography, you will find a portrait of the man that you never probably knew.

Riviore traces Wenger’s childhood and how he came about getting into football management. The reader gets to know about how the village he grew up in had an impact on his life and his game, what his coaches thought of him, and how he was handed management at a very young age.

The book continues in the predictably chronological order of biographies, and looks at his various accomplishments in the different clubs he’s managed. His time at Monaco, how he missed the chance of coaching Bayern Munich and subsequent trip to Japan are all covered extensively. These form very important part of the book as they explain how Wenger’s character and personality developed over the years, before he came to Arsenal. When the reader goes through all this, he totally gets how Wenger was perfectly equipped to change the landscape of English football.

The book itself is a delight to read, with the parts about his early life and his stint in Japan making for riveting reading. While fans may already have a fair idea of Arsene Wenger’s past, this book throws a totally different light on his upbringing, his view on football, the influence coaches have had on him, the prodigies that he has nurtured, etc. Players that have worked under him talk about him with particular affection, even those who couldn’t quite make a success out of the game. A case in point is Giles Grimandi. While not many will recall much of his playing days at Arsenal, Arsene has had him by his side throughout his non-playing career and he presently works as a chief scout in France.

George Weah, the greatest African footballer of all time, is another player who credits his career to Arsene Wenger. Weah, who played under Arsene during their time at Monaco, says he was a great influence on him. Glen Hoddle has the same opinion of Arsene, especially with regards to telling the players and the team exactly what he wanted them to do. There are many such interviews with players that provide an insight into Wenger the manager.

While most biographies may just be a timeline of the exploits of the personality at the center of it all, Xavier Riviore’s book is more insightful and a delight to read. While some parts of the book may be a bit tedious, especially the repetitiveness with which different players seem to be saying the same thing about Wenger, most of it is certainly illuminating on his personality.

But if you think that after finishing the book you would have cracked the enigma that is Arsene Wenger, then your expectations will be dashed as he will continue to remain an enigma despite you knowing all that there is possible to know. And maybe that’s the charm that his players find endearing in him.

Rating: 4.5/5. Must read. All you ever wanted to know about Arsene Wenger.

The author is co-founder of the book review website bookgeeks.in