Arsenal Boss Arsene Wenger Pays Tribute to Brian Clough Ahead of Gunners' FA Cup Clash With Forest

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has paid a huge compliment to former Nottingham Forest manager Brian Clough, claiming his personality is still stamped on the English game and describing him as 'a guy on another planet'.

The Frenchman was speaking ahead of the Gunners' FA Cup third round clash with the Championship outfit, and was keen to offer his opinion on the late manager and his influence.

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He said, as quoted by Sky Sports: "We didn't speak a lot after the game because he was already fatigued. He was very lean and you could see he was no longer at full power. But of course I had huge respect for him.

"When I was young I looked at the big managers who were successful. For me then, Brian Clough was a guy on another planet.

"Today everything is available, but at the time you had to look for information. I used to travel in my car at night to watch managers work and watch their training and then come back home in the next morning.

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"I believe that above his achievements is his personality. He's a special person in English football. It's his personality that has left a huge imprint on the history of the game. So he will be remembered as one of the greatest ever, among three or four greatest in English football."

Clough passed away in 2004 of stomach cancer aged 69, but his influence in the game thanks to an 18-year stint as manager of Forest left behind a strong legacy in English football.