Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas had nothing but praise for his former coach Arsene Wenger saying that he was the most important manager in his career.
The Spaniard when only 16 was handed his first start in the first team at Arsenal by Arsene Wenger and later made him Gunners captain. He hasn’t forgotten what the manager did for him back then and remains grateful.
Fabregas played over 300 times for the north London club and won the FA Cup in 2005 and finished as a Champions League runner-up a year later, spent 8 years at Arsenal before returning to Barcelona in 2011, says Wenger’s “special” approach helped shape him as a player and as a person.
The 29-year-old then completed a controversial move to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea in 2014 and many Arsenal fans turned against the midfielder for joining the Gunners’ rivals.
In an interview with FourFourTwo, he said,
‘Arsene Wenger was probably the most important because he gave me the real chance, the chance that everyone needs and everyone wants,
‘After that it’s up to you to prove that they are right, they are wrong, it’s in your hands, but he gave me the chance.
‘He took me when I was only 16 – he made me a better player, a better person. I always considered him like a father figure, like a second father.
‘The way he treated me it’s not normal nowadays in football because everything is so fast, everyone is so impatient – you need results now.
‘And for that Wenger is a special manager and a special person, and without him I wouldn’t be here right now.’
Fabregas has always spoken highly of Arsenal and Arsene Wenger, and has now snubbed his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claiming Wenger had the most influence on his career.
Things did not work out well for the pair last season as the Special One was sacked after a terrible start to the season and the Blues went on to finish 10th.
I still remember being a goal down to Spurs and Cesc scoring a goal dribbling the ball through the half line. It was a pleasure to see a goal like that. Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/S52XsF6qMJg
