Arsene Wenger was in a reflective mood yesterday as he spoke ahead of today’s clash with Borussia Dortmund, a match that falls on his 64th birthday.
With speculation about his future once again in the headlines, the boss admitted that despite time not being on his side he still believes he can create another trophy-winning side at Arsenal.
“I have the same enthusiasm,” he told press at London Colney yesterday. “You will see when you’re 64, what is amazing in life is that you don’t change.
“When you say to me I am at 64, I look behind me. Who is this guy who is 64? The only thing that is good is that internally you are still young, even if externally you become old.
“I can build another team because in 17 years I had a few teams, but at the minute I’m looking at the short-term,” he continued when press on contract matters.
“I will make a decision about the little-bit-longer term later.”
Having been in the same job for the best part of two decades Wenger also touched on how he draws comfort and happiness on a day-to-day basis stressing the cut and thrust of life as a football manager provides him with a constant stream of ‘happy moments’.
“For me, happiness in life is a succession of happy moments. Afterwards you’re judged on your global achievements, but life is not like that day-to-day.
“You work every day because you have happy moments. After that people will say, ‘you were a good or bad journalist,’ I don’t know. But what’s important in your life is that you have happy moments. And for me the games are a succession of possible happy moments.
“Of course afterwards you want people to look back and say ‘that was a fantastic season’ but that will be decided in May. Before that let’s experience some quality.”
Asked what he’d like for his birthday, Wenger concluded: “A good game for me is the best present.”
We’d like a good game too, although Arseblog News suspects his missus might get him a new coat.
Happy belated birthday Arsene!.
Hopefully the players know what to do tonight to make it extra special for this wonderful Arsenal servant…..
[picture]
Move aside Squillaci you’re blocking the view.
Who?
Happy birthday BOSS.
Happy birthday you legend. Hers hoping today is a good moment
Here’s
its almost time for you to change that name….
I’ll read this man’s autobiography in one sitting, right through. Such class. Such wisdom. One Arsene Wenger!
i’d rather like to have conversations with him, but that’s a tad out of reach 🙂
My mate is delivery driver and had to deliver a parcel to a Mrs Wenger in Totteridge. My mate, who’s an Arsenal fan, asked if it was the house of the Mr Wenger. She said it was and called him to the door. He invited my mate in for a drink and spoke to him at length about football in general. He was there for nearly an hour. Needless to say, he came away with the impression of Arsene not only being a nice guy, but bing humble and affable.
I was quite jealous…..
I might suspect the parcel was Wenger’s new zipper?
Quite jealous?
I am delighted to award you the “Understatement of the Year Award”
Congratulations.
To the coach of the decade…hoorah
And hopefully the next
I know I’ll get thumbed down to hell and back for this, but objectively SAF has really got to take that crown. In hindsight, the performances he wrung out of a very mediocre Man U squad were exceptional; champions to joint 8th place (in the illustrious company of Hull and Newcastle) in a few short months since his departure and given their performances thus far this season, really can’t see them turning it around very quickly. Admittedly, during that time Wenger has been working in a completely different environment, limited resources since the move to the Emirates and a strong… Read more »
I’m wondering for some time now – had saf ever developed at least one player?
Fergie retired because he knew the game is up when Wenger has money.
The way Wenger describes football/life as a pholosophy rather than just the technical analysis, is just brilliant.
Its because coaching is what he does, not who he is. He is much more than a great coach and that really comes out during these interviews.
Happy moments..hope his team add to those tonight.
Happy bday Le Prof. Legend!!
He may well be one of the greatest managers the game has known, renowned for his grasp of not only the intricacies of the beautiful game, but also his unrivaled grasp of the economics of the football world.
BUT, will he be handy mending a fuse, now he’s 64?
i await with curious interest to see whether the stadium DJ spins WI64 tonight. Last season probably not but this season, oddly, it’ll probably work fine. Fickle bastards, a chunk of the home crowd…
Happy birthday Mr Wenger. Many ”Happy moments”
ARSENE OUT… i mean. oops. automatic typing there…
ARSENE HAPY BIRTHDAY
This was funnier when i read it doing Weed…hahahaahaha
Was misspelling happy also “automatic typing”?
Happy birthday to the best football manager in the world
But it’s not my birthday yet.
Happy Birthday Monsieur Wenger…you will always be top top top in my book
Long live Arsene Wenger. I have criticized you a lot over the last few years, even came to the point of wanting you out, but no one takes your legendary status away.
Happy birth day le prof…wish you Long life and more success with AFC
He is so romantic in his old age.
Two legends on that picture, and Thierry Henry.
The Legacy of wenger would be billion times more than that of SAF.
Happy Birthday bossman.Here’s to many more years.Surely he’ll sign?We’re on the verge of starting to win trophies again.
On another note 2 observations on the pic :
That’s the closest resemblance I’ve ever seen to Arsene’s caricature.Is this the image they base that on?
That’s the best and worst of Arsene’s signings in a still.No wonder he doesn’t want to look at the squid.Probably trying to forget it ever happened! (I’m assuming,of course,that Park doesn’t really exist)!
Wonder if we can get a Happy birthday chant for him tonight…
Happy birthday, Arsene. Hope your missus gets you that new coat. Preferably with buttons….not one with those pesky zips…!
I’ve been away on a desert island since the 1st game of the season – Wengers still here??
Surely the board will bow to fan pressure and sack him for not spending loads of money and only buying free players.. its only a pity we missed out on david moyes – he is a class act.
Now what did i miss?
Oh nothing, we signed Özil, are top of the league, top of our CL group, we beat Sp*rs and Napoli, Wilshere recenetly scored the greatest goal of Arsenals history … oh, and Moyes is fucking up in Manchester 🙂
So…
Arsene knew?
All along??
Crafty french bastard
he had usgoing for a while there
You missed the fact that you can’t buy free players!
But you can buy the happiness that comes from watching Flamini foul a player but still get the free kick. It costs in wages but it’s worth it
I am eagerly waiting for The Arsene Wenger Autobiography. What a man, what a legacy !
I can see him actually writing it himself..
Bet he writes/edits it himself in five languages, because he understands the cultural nuances for each.
He’ll only do the foreword for the Japanese version, though.
We’ll really find out that he saw all them incidents and that his wife is prettier than Mrs Ferguson.
by hand
The happy moments we’ve been seeing recently have been giving me happy endings.
amazing how fickle fans can be eh?
ps loving the love!
Happy birthday Arsene!
Many happy returns.
the picture above reminded me it’s time for the weekly viewing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYRcNIW-Gqc