'It is only natural that I would be considered Arsene Wenger's successor' - Nagoya Grampus coach Dragan Stojkovic
Wenger's skipper during J-League tenure is attracted by the prospect of succeeding his former coach
Nagoya Grampus coach Dragan Stojkovic has admitted that it is "only natural" that he has been nominated by Arsene Wenger as a potential successor to the Arsenal manager.
In an exclusive interview with Goal.com, the former playmaker said he has an excellent relationship with Wenger and is happy to have his name associated with the Premier League club.
Wenger said earlier this year that "there are a hundred reasons" why he "would love" Stojkovic, who was his captain during the Frenchman's reign at Grampus in the mid-1990s, to be his successor.
Stojkovic, 46, who coached Grampus to their first J-League title last season, told Goal.com in the wake of his side's clash with Gamba Osaka on Wednesday: "I am still a very good friend of Arsene Wenger, I see him every year, and it is only natural that my name pops up when it comes to musing about who will be his successor.
"Who wouldn't be happy to be associated with such a big club as Arsenal?
"But I am now very proud to coach in Nagoya and I am working as hard as I can for this club."
As revealed by Goal.com last Saturday, Wenger has privately conceded that 2011-12 will be his final season in charge of the Gunners and attention has begun to turn to his likely successor.
Stojkovic and the Arsenal boss are well acquainted as the former Yugoslavia international was Wenger's kingpin during the Frenchman's reign in charge of Grampus, winning the 1995 Emperor's Cup as well as the respective player and manager of the year awards.
On his possible replacement as Arsenal manager, Wenger told Vecernje Novosti in February: “I would love Stojkovic to be my successor, there are a hundred reasons for that.
"Our ideas are the same and we both strive for perfect football. I knew he was going to have teams playing attacking football with many passes. He has done that, showing he will be a great coach. I told him that if he could transmit his football imagination to his players he would fly high.”
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