Steve Bould sacked

[gzagee]

Bould beats former team-mate Adams in race to become Wenger's new assistant

Steve Bould has won the race to become Arsenal's new No 2 as Wenger plots the biggest shake-up to his coaching set-up of his 16-year reign.
Reserve team manager Neil Banfield is also set for promotion and will be new first-team coach.
Current assistant manager Pat Rice will sit in the Gunners' dug-out for the final time this weekend as Wenger's trusted aide retires after 44 years with the club.
Ex-Arsenal defender Bould, who made 372 appearances, is in his 11th year of working with the club's academy set-up.
Bould, who has helped nurture talents such as Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs and Walcott, has impressed Wenger with his coaching attributes.
It is also hoped Bould's defensive expertise can improve a rearguard that has conceded 47 goals this season.
Sportsmail exclusively revealed last week how Gunners legend Tony Adams had failed to persuade Wenger to give him the assistant manager's role as the club was keen to promote internally.
Bould and Banfield will join forces with Wenger and first-team coach Boro Primorac before next season.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/footba ... enger.html

[VCC]

good it is official

[fari]

great news indeed

[elkanofan]

a change was needed!

[UFGN]

Good news. But i fail to see the point of keeping Primorac.

[Est83]

Great news... no way he'll sit in Wengers shadow and quietly observe.

No offence to Pat Rice, he's the man! And he's done a great service to the club. Top geezer that'll be remembered for a long time. BUT... Bould is a F**KING SHOUTER!!!!!!! And that will certainly have an effect.

[Arsenal Tone]

Good to have one of Graham's old guard in the first team coaching set up. He deserves the chance as well.

[yosifun]

Great new, especially in term of defence.

Would someone care to explain what exactly will Banfield do as first team coach? (with mostly Wenger and Bould calling the shots)

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2

[EvAMY-CRAIGLEEAFC]

Really happy about this.

[Arsenal~Fanatic]

Great news. Finally we can hope to see some sanity at the back.

[Zedie]

Great news. Finally we can hope to see some sanity at the back.

Don't count on it, gamblers anonymous is still in charge.

[CynicalGooner]

I really hope it will make some kind of tangible difference. I can't say I'm optimistic it will.

Bould was an excellent defender and played under George for years but that was a long time ago, he's been training the kids in Arsene's dogma for a long time since then. I just can't imagine that Rice who was also an excellent defender couldn't drill the back 4 if he was allowed to. And that's the thing, it has to come down to the manager not his subordinates. You can change the players all you want, and the coaches too (though either way a shake up was definitely necessary) but if Wenger himself doesn't change, nothing will.

[friedslice]

Superb news, hopefully after a summers pre season we'll see a defensive unit who can actually defend....

probably not though.

[Inchpräctice]

I really hope it will make some kind of tangible difference. I can't say I'm optimistic it will.

Bould was an excellent defender and played under George for years but that was a long time ago, he's been training the kids in Arsene's dogma for a long time since then. I just can't imagine that Rice who was also an excellent defender couldn't drill the back 4 if he was allowed to. And that's the thing, it has to come down to the manager not his subordinates. You can change the players all you want, and the coaches too (though either way a shake up was definitely necessary) but if Wenger himself doesn't change, nothing will.

Who knows, maybe the fact that Bould's youth team have only conceded 36 goals all season (third lowest in the league) will be relevant?
We came third by the way.

In some ways, just the fact that we're making a change is a good thing. We need new faces on the training pitch to freshen things up.


Assuming the Daily Fail is correct of course.

[StLGooner]

Will he be just another Wenger yes man? We shall see I guess.