When Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 after leading Manchester United to another Premier League title he was widely praised for going out on top.
There are very few managers who get the opportunity to choose their departure date, but the greatest manager in the history of the game had earned that privilege.
But how can you follow the best of all time?
It’s a problem that David Moyes, Louis Van Gaal and now Jose Mourinho have failed to answer. Manchester United seem no closer to enjoying the glory days of the Scot with Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea already pulling away at the start of this season with United seemingly on the brink of crisis.
The departure of Arsene Wenger, one of Ferguson’s greatest rivals has been entirely different in contrast.
Unlike Ferguson, Wenger didn’t know when to walk away, and Arsenal couldn’t bring themselves to put him out of his misery.
Too grateful for his early achievements the regime allowed a rot to set in that Wenger never looked capable of healing.
One man that this has all worked out for very nicely indeed is Wenger’s replacement Unai Emery.
Something of a surprise appointment, Emery’s has started promisingly with his team showing an impressive form after early defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea, to win five games on the bounce in all competitions.
Crucially for Emery, he will be given the one luxury that David Moyes was not.
Time.
Expectations had fallen so low at Arsenal after last season’s poor performances that things couldn’t really get any worse for the club, which has played right into the hands of the new manager.
He has been given a clean slate and importantly has the full backing of the club’s support who recognise that improvements will take time.
This wasn’t a luxury afforded to Moyes who was taking over a team that had so impressively wrestled the title back from the clutches of Manchester City. A title challenge was expected. A top four place was a minimum requirement. Moyes couldn’t achieve either and paid the price with his job.
Emery could finish seventh this season and I’m convinced would keep his job.
The Spaniard, who had to deal with huge egos in his previous job at Paris Saint Germain, has already proved he is no respecter of reputations.
He has dropped Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsay, two players considered untouchable by the previous management.
Ozil in particular has impressed in recent weeks, suggesting that his treatment by his new manager has had a positive effect.
Time will ultimately tell if Emery was the right appointment but if he does enjoy the success, he might just have the previous manager to thank for buying him some valuable time.
