Desert Island Discs, Radio 4
THERE are many worthy programmes out there on subjects like Afghanistan and Covid. But sometimes you need to take a step away from that and enjoy a little escapism.
We’re wading through a vale of tears about here… things are not good with the Arsenal these days, in fact, people about here can’t even talk about it – let us rewind to Desert Island Discs and the wonder that is Arsene Wenger.
He is famed for bringing ballet and broccoli to the Gunners… as well as success and style on the pitch over 22 years with the team.
When Arsene was a kid in a small village in France, no-one had a television. he got to see a football game once a year in black and white - the FA Cup final shown in his school.
So think what it was like leading his team out to an FA Cup final.
Warm, intelligent, thoughtful, humble – it was a winning listen.
Wenger was born in Strasbourg. His parents ran a bistro. They worked very hard, there was no family life, it was open every day of the year and only closed on Christmas afternoon.
But he picked up all the chat about football from the diners in the bistro. That was the conversation.
His family were also big Catholics - Mass every day, confession every week.
He started off as a street player – learned courage and initiative in his football.
But, he said, he never forgot the child in the football player – the joy of the game.
When he began coaching, he brought in a psychiatrist to help players understand themselves.
It was about getting them to think about how they played, how they felt, their concentration.
Wenger still meets players from long ago who tell him that that work helped them a lot in their lives.
But what was winning too about this Desert Island Discs was Wenger’s humility.
He was man enough to admit his weakness: that he gave so much time to football, that it was very difficult for his family.
“I was not up to the level that you would expect from a guy like me,” he said.
Now he tries to make up for that.
There was talk too about how he made the players change their diet and drinking habits at a time when that was revolutionary.
Remember the tale about them shouting from the back of the team coach: “We want our Mars bars back.”
Now, Wenger relaxes by watching football and watching other managers suffer and thinking “It’s your turn, my friend.”
He’s very droll and his music choices are great.
He chose Bob Marley, who loved football and who is “cool”. He chose John Lennon and Elton John. He has run into Elton a few times in the same restaurant in Nice and they speak about English football.
All in all, this makes for a heartening listen – especially for those downhearted Arsenal fans about these parts.
