William Gallas calls on Arsenal to replace Arsene Wenger because he lacks Jose Mourinho's winning mentality
Arsenal haven't won the Premier League for the past 12 seasons and the former club captain feels the time is right for change
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Arsenal captain William Gallas has given his opinion on the difference between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, and believes that the lack of mentality in the Frenchman is why Arsenal now need to make a change of manager.
Gallas captained Arsenal under Wenger’s reign from August 2008 until November 2009, when he was stripped of the armband after criticising the younger players in the squad at the time. The former defender, who retired in 2014, went on to play for Arsenal for another season before joining arch-rivals Tottenham, but he is one of seven players to have been managed by both Wenger and Mourinho thanks to his time at Chelsea early in his career.
Gallas won the Premier League twice in his career with the Blues, but failed to win a trophy during his time at the Emirates Stadium and he believes that Arsenal’s 12-year wait for the title is reason enough to end Wenger’s 20-year reign at the club.
“I don't know what Arsenal are going to do but they have to win trophies again,” Gallas told Talksport.
“Maybe it is time to change something at the end of the season.”
He elaborated on his belief by comparing Wenger to his nemesis, with Mourinho winning six league titles since Wenger last lifted the Premier League trophy. Mourinho’s win at all costs mentality has been both praised and ridiculed, though there is no doubting that his methods breed success even if he ruffles a few feathers along the way and has a negative impact on young prospects.
Gallas feels that it’s a winning mentality that Wenger lacks, and if Arsenal are to get back on top of English football any time soon, they need to cut their losses with Wenger and bring in a manager who has that desire to win.
“You get criticism when you don't win trophies, when you don't win games, and that is maybe the difference between Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger,” Gallas explained.
“Mourinho wants to win every game and at the end of the season sometimes he has success but, for Arsene, Arsenal didn't win from 2004 so everybody starts to criticise him because football has changed.
“Football is about victory, about trophies. Players want to lift trophies. If you don't lift a trophy in your career, you will feel disappointed at the end of your career.”
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