The signing of a new contract by Arsene Wenger settles the dust, committing him to virtually four more seasons at the Club from today. It is good news in many respects, not least because it keeps the man best qualified for the job in situ. The length of the deal provides a settling aspect to the playing staff. Most, if not all, of the players have given him various pledges of loyalty over the summer, commenting on how he was one of the main reasons that they signed for the Club; how he has developed them or will do so in the future. That led to some accusations that Wenger was bigger than the Club but in some respects misses the point. When you go for any job interview, if you do not like the person who will be your direct manager or disagree with their viewpoint on how objectives should be achieved, you do not take the offer, if it is made. Footballers are no different; the managers personality is stamped on the team, beliefs reflected on how the game should be played. If a prospective signing does not like it, they will not sign for the Club.

His achievements are undeniable; singularly the most successful manager in the Clubs history, he has enabled the Club to take commercial advantage of the success. If we had not had the stability of manager, it is questionable if the Board would be able to resist financial overtures. In the same way that Herbert Chapman’s legacy is being exploited, there is little doubt that when Wenger eventually succumbs to retirement, there will be a whole of host of objets d’art available to purchase from the Club shop.

The most important thing to me though, is the rebuilding cycle that we are coming out of. It is not just the first team that will have matured in the natural length of the contract, it is the next generation coming through. This team is his first successful ‘youth promotion’ exercise en masse. In three years time, the reserves and youths at the Club will be on the verge of, if not in, the first team squad, a new generation filling their void at the younger levels. That will be his legacy to the Club because I will be surprised if he does sign another deal as Manager, given his public pronouncements on age and longevity. When he does step down, his successor will find a structure in place with very able coaching staff and facilities, matured through seasons in place and there are few Clubs that can actually say that. In a world of short term objectives, the Board have done well to resist outside pressures to enable the manager to set up and hopefully deliver in the longer term.

International Weekend and time for a brief look at the time when this level of football matters. England are being pumped up with the usual rhetoric from the media; a must win game (and for once it genuinely is) with the team being set up for the fall before a ball is kicked. Jingoism and Patriotic Pride are easily interchangeable with the ‘Skipper’ leading the charge. It is a match which could quite easily go as planned, a three goal home win should be achievable. To think that all the players have to do is turn up is to ignore the facts in front of you; the Israelis have a good record over the past four years in Qualifying matches. With Croatia and Russia looking set to take three points today, England need to match their results to stay in touch and, hopefully, take advantage with another win on Wednesday night.

For the rest of the Arsenal squad dotted around the Globe, my fingers are crossed for you. Not to win although that would be nice for you personally, just to come back in one piece ready for the Tottenham game.

With the kids all healed up, it definitely is ’til Tomorrow.