Mikael Silvestre on Difference Between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger

Very few managers in the Premier League era have enjoyed the same success as Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger. Between them, the pair have won over 30 major domestic honours in England, while the former also proved himself in European competition with two Champions League titles to his name.

They also make up the top two longest managerial reigns in Premier League history, with Wenger in first after spending 22 years in the Arsenal dugout. Ferguson, despite spending 26 years at Manchester United, comes in second due to the fact the league as we know it was founded six years into his reign.

Despite spending decades at their respective clubs, there’s just three players that have had the privilege of playing under both managers. Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Mikael Silvestre.

Silvestre spent nine years at United and made over 200 appearances for the club before he joined Wenger’s Arsenal in 2008. His time with the Gunners was just a fraction of what he spent in the North West, but it still left a lasting impression on the former France international, who says it was Wenger who had the much more hands-on approach to training compared to Ferguson.

Indeed, when explaining the one key difference between the two, he revealed that it was Wenger’s hands-on approach in training sessions:

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Silvestre on Wenger

“I enjoyed his vision”

Silvestre made 43 appearances for the Gunners across all competitions during his two years in North London. In that time, the defender scored three goals and registered two assists, and he didn’t enjoy the same trophy-laden success experienced under Ferguson at United.

Even so, Silvestre has spoken extremely highly of his French compatriot and says Wenger’s style of football was a joy to play. Even though the manager would take his time with analysis after a game, he still adopted a more hands-on approach and was heavily involved in training sessions, as Silvestre recalled to Stadium Astro.

“I enjoyed his vision, the way he was preparing, it was all about Arsenal the way we play, it doesn’t matter about who we face we always want to play quality football on the ground with short passes and progress forward in a nice way.”

While Arsenal may not have secured any major honours during Silvestre’s time at the club, Wenger’s tenure as a whole was extremely successful. After taking charge of the club in 1996, they secured a domestic double of the Premier League title and FA Cup in the 1997-98 season before repeating that exact feat four years later in the 2001-02 campaign.

In total, Wenger won 10 major honours with the Gunners, which included three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups. To this day, Arsenal remain the most successful team in England’s primary cup competition and it’s also worth noting Wenger’s third and final league title with the club saw them become the second team in British history to go a league season unbeaten, and the first and only in the Premier League era.

Silvestre on Ferguson

“It was a different model”

Things couldn’t have been more different for Silvestre at Manchester United. He spent nine years of his career with the Red Devils and won four league titles, one FA Cup, one League Cup and the most coveted club trophy in Europe: the Champions League – with his manager winning numerous honours at Old Trafford.

Unlike Wenger, however, Ferguson wasn’t an ever-present and the Scot placed immense trust in his backroom staff to manage the day-to-day on the training pitch, while he spent time sorting all that comes with club management. It was an approach that seemingly worked for United as they basked in over two decades of success under Ferguson’s stewardship. Silvestre explained:

Along with the seven trophies won during the nine years Silvestre spent at Old Trafford, United won a further 17 major honours during Ferguson’s reign. The Champions League trophy secured in 2008 was their second after they’d previously won the competition in 1999.

Domestically, Ferguson guided his team to 13 Premier League league titles during his time at the club, while also securing five FA Cups and four League Cups. In the manager’s final season in charge, he ensured he left a team of champions as they secured what remains, to this day, their last league title.