Arsenal’s Greatest Ever Manager
Herbert Chapman is considered by most to be Arsenal’s greatest ever manager and whilst I am loathe to compare managers from different eras operating under different regimes there is absolutely no denying what this man did for our club.
81 years ago today Herbert Chapman passed away, 9 and a bit years into his Arsenal project turning a modest club into the giant of the 1930s. I’m no historian and wouldn’t dream of telling you what the great man was all about however I would like to point you to a transcript of an interview I did with Paddy Barclay last year where we discussed Chapman and Paddy’s book on the Arsenal legend.
You can read both parts here (part 1, part 2) or you can listen to the interview in full if you prefer (part 1, part 2).
I always knew that Herbert Chapman was special but I never knew the detail of how far he took the club. Possibly the greatest testament to that is the consideration that he won 7 trophies for the club when he was only alive to see us lift 3 of them. Certainly he is more than deserving of posthumously being acknowledged for those trophies as largely it was his tactics and signings that claimed the honours.
In his book Paddy Barclay makes the case that Chapman invented modern football management and it certainly seems the case when you have read the book.
The term legend is bandied about far too easily in football but if anyone is deserving it is Herbert Chapman. Cast in bronze at the club there can be no doubt that he was one of Arsenal’s best and greatest ever managers. Comparing him to others is futile and pointless in terms of success on the field but there is no comparison to be made at all when you consider what the man did for the club and football as a whole.
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I agree with the sentiment here, however, I can’t help but feel had Chapman had to go through the 8 year stadium plan like Arsene did fans would want him out as well.
I personally can’t split Chapman and Arsene. I would say Chapman might edge it because he was our first ever manager to win anything and without him who knows when we would have won our first title.
However, when the next manager comes in he will owe his opportunity to win titles and possibly the European Cup to Arsene Wenger.
Take a look at the interview I did with Paddy, I share many of your sentiments and so it seems did Paddy. Certainly there are many similarities between the great men.
I will, I have been after the book for a while.
COME ON THE GUNNERS