Wenger began his managerial career at Nancy. He got the job at Nancy through a recommendation from Aldo Platini at the end of the 1984/85 season and his Nancy side finished 12th in Ligue 1. The following season they finished in 18th which meant they had to take part in a relegation play-off, they won but they were relegated the very next season. Wenger was attracting the attention of other clubs during his time at Nancy. Wenger was in favour of taking up a challenge in the south, so he offered his resignation only to be turned down following Nancy's relegation in 1987. Wenger was then permitted to leave the club by mutual consent and join Monaco. Wenger got off to a flying start as the Monaco manager and his side won the league by six points. They could not defend their league title and they finished third in the following campaign. They were also knocked out of the Coupe de France as they lost 4-3 to Marseille. Monaco again finished third in 1989–90 when striker Ramón Díaz scored 15 goals in his first season at the club. The club beat league winners Marseille in the Coupe de France final through a last minute goal from substitute Gérald Passi. In 1991–92 Monaco finished in second place and lost the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup Final 2–0 to Werder Bremen. Although Monaco acquired the services of German striker Jürgen Klinsmann, the club could not retain the championship and concluded the subsequent seasons in third and ninth positions. Monaco did reach the semi-finals of the Champions League in April 1994 but lost to eventual winners Milan.

As a result of his work at Monaco Wenger was sought after by German club Bayern Munich, who wanted him to be their next manager. Monaco refused to let him leave and Wenger chose to stay but a poor start to the 1994–95 season meant he was dismissed on 17 September 1994, with the team in 17th spot in the table. In January 1995, Wenger joined Japanese J.League team Nagoya Grampus Eight. He hired former Valenciennes manager Boro Primorac, whom he had befriended in 1993, as his assistant. Wenger fully supported the Bosnian manager when he gave evidence against Marseille over match fixing. Primorac remained Wenger's right-hand man in later years and, as of 2012, still holds the position.

Wenger enjoyed a successful 18-month stint with the club as Nagoya Grampus won the national cup competition, the Emperor's Cup, in his first season and he received the J.League Manager of the Year award in 1995. In his final season, Nagoya Grampus finished runners-up in the league. This was the team's best position until 2010, when Wenger's former protégé Dragan Stojković led the club to its first title.

Arsenal had just sacked manager Bruce Rioch and they were looking for a new manager, they hired Arsene Wenger despite Johann Cruff being the overwhelming bookies favourite to take the Arsenal job. Wenger’s first season in charge at Arsenal ended with the Gunners finishing third and narrowly missing out on Champions League football on goal difference. In his second season, Arsenal won the Premier League and FA Cup to complete the second league and cup double in the club's history. The team made up a 12-point deficit on league leaders Manchester United in the final few weeks of the season. Arsenal's success was built on an already stalwart defence which was assembled by former manager George Graham and consisted of Tony Adams, Steve Bould, Nigel Winterburn, Lee Dixon and Martin Keown. The defenders contributed to a run of eight consecutive clean sheets between January and March 1998. Wenger regarded striker Dennis Bergkamp as the "catalyst" for the team's good form towards the end of the season. Petit, winger Marc Overmars and striker Nicolas Anelka also profited from the manager's attack-minded principles. 

Following a few barren seasons Arsenal achieved the double once more in the 01–02 season. Striker Sylvain Wiltord scored the winning goal in a win against Manchester United at Old Trafford to secure the club's 12th league championship and third double. The first of the two cups arrived a few days earlier, Arsenal beat Chelsea 2–0 in the 2002 FA Cup Final. The team scored in every single league fixture and were unbeaten away from home that season.

A season came about that no Arsenal fan could ever have expected as Arsenal made history by becoming the only club to win a league title by going through a season unbeaten. Arsenal's run of 49 league games unbeaten came to an end with a 2–0 defeat at Manchester United on 24 October 2004. The team enjoyed another relatively strong league campaign in 2004–05 but finished second to Chelsea, who ended the season 12 points in front. Consolation came in the FA Cup as Arsenal defeated Manchester United 5-4 on penalties after a goalless final.

Since the move to The Emirates Arsene Wenger has done consistently well in the transfer market despite not having a huge budget. Since Arsenal have last won a trophy the fans have endured eight years of pain but one thing has remained constant throughout the last 18 years and that is the fact Arsene Wenger has always been there through the good and the bad.    

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