‘Prof’ Arsene Wenger reveals secret to success at Dubai International Project Management Forum

Dubai: From a young boy working on a village farm in France to a globally renowned figure in the world of football, Arsene Wenger gave the audience at the Dubai event a sneak peek into his personal life.

“I used to work in the fields of my village. Thanks to my father, I started playing football at the age of 13. But I had no coach until I was 19, when a national-level coach invited me to join his team,” Wenger, regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time, said during the 10th edition of the Dubai International Project Management Forum (DIPMF). “That’s basically the miracle of my life. I had no coach until I was 19, and then I spent the rest of my life in football.”

The current chief of FIFA Global Football Development is the longest-serving and most successful manager in English Premier League club Arsenal’s history.

Wenger, who at the age of 33 became the youngest coach in France, reflected on his days faced with adversity as he moved from Japanese club Nagoya Grampus to Arsenal in 1996.

“Arsene who? We don’t know him,” he recollected how fans and media welcomed him.

“At that time, the record of foreign coaches was not that great. I convinced people that I was there because I had quality,” said Wenger, who earned the nickname ‘Le Professeur.’

In a few months, Wenger created a “culture of performance,” where everybody made improvements. He cultivated a winning attitude and an element of trust in his team that they could excel.

“As a coach, you need to commit to these people and let them know that they can win,” he said, stressing the importance of credibility, reliability, and the ability to create intimacy to instill confidence and develop cohesion in the team. “When you look into their eyes, they need to believe that you care about them, and that you are honest. It is important.”

The 75-year-old Frenchman highlighted four elements that are crucial to success.

“What you do to make your dream come true, how to make it technically work, getting rid of negative thoughts, and committing totally to the task, even if it seems impossible.”

Wenger’s legacy at Arsenal, where he served as manager for more than two decades, remains one of the most influential in the club’s history. He was instrumental in transforming the team, leading them to unprecedented heights, including three Premier League titles.

One of the most memorable achievements of his tenure was the 2003-2004 season, during which Arsenal completed a remarkable unbeaten run, a feat that earned them the title of ‘The Invincibles.’

Reflecting on the 49-game unbeaten run, Wenger said: “The purpose of a leader is to get the best out of the potential of the team. One day, in a silly way, I said that I wanted one season without losing a game. It led to the ‘Invincible’ perfect season. The target was to push the team as close to perfection as possible.”

As a FIFA official, he wishes to develop football in regions, which haven’t won the World Cup.

“The challenge is massive, but vital to developing the game, and giving everybody a chance. It’s an exciting challenge I am doing now at FIFA,” Wenger added.