When Arsÿne first joined the club Martin Keown said he presented us with the way he wanted things to be done

"When Arsÿne first joined the club," Martin Keown said, "he presented us with the way he wanted things to be done. But he never lectured or threatened - he simply gave us the opportunity to follow his methods. Most of us thought it was worth trying; none of us have ever regretted it."Keown added: "Before he came here, the likes of Mark Hateley and Glenn Hoddle had told us how good Arsÿne was. But it's not until you work with him that you realise quite how good he really is. In years to come, he'll be regarded as a pioneer, both at Arsenal and in the English game as a whole."Few would disagree that Wenger is the perfect choice to succeed Kevin Keegan. And, judging by their list, the FA seem to have joined the fan club. At first glance, you could be forgiven for interpreting their set of strict requirements for the England post as a series of reasons why Terry Venables and Howard Wilkinson are not the right men for the task.

In fact, though, the Group of Seven have simply issued a photofit of their ideal candidate. And the three favourites - Wenger, Lazio's Sven Goran Eriksson and, to a lesser extent, FC Copenhagen's Roy Hodgson - all possess the necessary attributes.Of the trio, Wenger is probably the most suitable, if only because he has first-hand experience of being a successful coach in England. On Friday, he would only say: "I have a big enough job and big enough problems to deal with here at Arsenal." As yet, though, he has not totally ruled himself out of the running. Instead, he is cleverly deflecting attention on to his two nearest rivals."Sven Goran is a very good manager," Wenger said. "To make it at international level, you need to have had experience of the big occasions and big players I think Sven Goran has the quality and the talent to do it. But first the FA must try to find an Englishman." Hodgson, presumably.If one's standing among players, clubs and supporters is one of the crucial criteria for the England job, Wenger should be appointed tomorrow. When someone like Seaman, not usually renowned for his enthusiasm, uses phrases such as "major change in my lifestyle" or "transformed Arsenal's style of play", you know the Frenchman's impact is immeasurable.

Adams has spoken of how Wenger "saved his life", and Henry has described him as "being like a father-figure".There has yet to be a player who has criticised the Frenchman or his methods. But then, as Grimandi points out, it is difficult to argue with success. "Arsÿne has an incredible ability to adapt to people and situations," said the 29-year-old Frenchman, who was banned for three European matches on Friday following his lunge at Lazio's Diego Simeone earlier in the week. "He is intelligent because he knows exactly what to say to a player. He might encourage one while reprimanding another, depending on what he believes needs doing. The timing of his interventions is always perfect."At the beginning of the season, he will talk to each player and outline what he hopes to see them achieve.