SUMMERTIME and the living is easy. At least that is how the song goes. For a football manager, however, summertime is far from easy.
Take Arsene Wenger for example. The club announce that they have trillions to spend in the transfer market and can now compete with all the big hitters around Europe so the media go into meltdown linking the club with everyone from Higuain to Rooney and even Suarez.
The fans, paying some of the highest ticket prices in Europe, are quickly on the bandwagon and suddenly it's late July with only French youngster Yaya Sanogo added the squad, so it is time to panic.
Manchester City have strengthened, Chelsea have strengthened, United are chasing Fabregas, while Arsenal have gone backwards. Not only has Wenger failed to spend but he also had a major clear out this summer, getting rid of squad players such as Djourou, Arshavin and Santos. On the surface at least, the squad appears weaker.
But maybe we all need to live a bit easier. Chill out. Enjoy the sunshine. Are things really that bad? The one thing money cannot buy is stability and that is the one thing Arsenal have in abundance.
While the other top clubs have all changed managers and brought in several new players, all of which takes time to settle, Wenger could start the season with the same group that lost only one of their last 16 Premier League games.
After a slow start to the last campaign as the new-look team took time to gel, Arsenal slowly began to look like potential title winners so why would you want to disrupt that?
Spending millions does not guarantee success anyway. Yes, City will be strong, no question about it. Chelsea too. But Wenger has a very good squad who will continue to improve.
Some say a signing like Suarez would send out a message of intent and that he would be the final piece of the jigsaw. But I disagree. If Wenger is going to spend upwards of £40m, it would be far better spent on a defensive midfielder - someone like Fellaini - and a centre back - say Williams.
I just have a sneaky feeling that Giroud will be THE man. For a first season in English football he did well, scoring 17 times, and his best is clearly yet to come. Walcott will score goals, Podolski has 15 in him and Cazorla proved last season he can hit double figures. Between them last season those four scored over 60 times.
So rather than splash out £40m on one man who may or may not get the goals the club needs, and would probably spend half the season suspended anyway, it would make much more sense to use that money elsewhere in the squad.
My hunch is that Wenger has made a cull to clear the decks for several new arrivals. One or two defensive players who can go straight into the first team squad and others with an eye to the future. It may not be what the fans are crying out for but that does not make it wrong.
So while City and Chelsea waste more billions chasing the dream, Wenger can pull up his deckchair safe in the knowledge that he already has a title winning team at his disposal.
It may not be fashionable but maybe spending the summertime living the easy life while all around are panicking is the way forward. I guess the next ten months or so will tell.
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