Wenger's staying power

They were chuckling to themselves at Highbury today.

The pizza-throwing 'exclusives' in the tabloids had produced a few cheesy grins, but the real big smiles came with the news that Arsene Wenger had at last signed a three-year extension to his contract.

This means:

Whatever off-the-field escapades colour the Wenger reign, there is no doubt that he is second only to Herbert Chapman among the all-time great Arsenal managers.

His decision to commit himself to the club for another three years means that he has the time to add to the six major trophies he's won already and perhaps end his career as the most successful Arsenal manager in history.

What he has given Arsenal is stability. This is the commodity all big clubs seek and few find. It is no surprise that the two most successful clubs in the Premiership have two of the longest serving managers - -Wenger and Ferguson at Manchester United.

Apart from stability, he has produced the most exciting team playing the most attractive football in the history of the Premiership. He inherited an outstanding group of players from the successful George Graham era and has added flair, style and a sense of occasion.

On a broader level, he has brought fresh thinking to the English game.

After the failure of managers like Josef Venglos and Ossie Ardiles, he demonstrated that foreign coaches could have a good and positive effect on the English game. His success opened the door for many others - -Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Gerard Houllier, Rafael Benitez and Jacques Santini.

David Dein, the Arsenal vice-chairman, should be applauded for having the foresight to appoint a relatively unknown French coach. Many were suspicious back in 1996.