Arsene Wenger has admitted that lack of clarity over his situation has played a part in creating a difficult environment for Arsenal’s players this season, but insists that even if he were to leave he would work as hard until his final game.
The manager declared himself sad that the club had missed out on the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, but insisted his own situation would be sorted out soon enough.
Asked why the environment had been so difficult this season, he said, “My personal situation has contributed to that. But I am professional.
“As long as I am somewhere I do my job until the last day. You have been at the games. You can’t see the environment for the group of players has not been especially positive.
“Part of being professional is to perform when the environment is not positive. So we can’t look there as an excuse, I just say it doesn’t help.”
And pressed for an update, he was not forthcoming with the FA Cup final at Wembley next weekend still on the horizon.
“My situation tonight is not important,” he said. “I care about this club. Even if I leave one day, I will love this club until the last day of my life.
“I want this club to do well – that’s all I care about. My situation will be sorted out soon, so let’s prepare for the cup final.”
Sad. The guy remains a class act.
How does that translate into club success or trophies?
There are more important things than winning trophies.
Like making money, just ask the Arsenal board!!
Well aren’t you the philosopher.
Says a dude with anus for a last name
Arsenal has arse for a first name whats your point?
Im from a different country. Please tell me whats more important for a top 10 (debt free) club in the world then to compete for the available trophies? Finances? Baffled by the comment and the thumbs up. hoping this is one a the rare times my sarcasme meter let me down hehe Also i noticed lots a people treat him like a poor child and saying awk there must have been something goin on blablablurghh to me an £8 million a year professional boss should be blunt and straightforward to his fanbase and players. Not saying ‘my players are profesionals… Read more »
Friggin trophy fans
How does consistent criticism translate into club success or trophies?
The man is pure class. Fuck knows what’s really going on, he’s clearly been covering for something for months now, amazing how he’s keeping his counsel amidst the media shitstorm and refusing to blame anyone
I read that he blamed the fans for not supporting the team which led to the team missing out on Champs’ League!
Untrue. Watch the press conference.
That’s like blaming Nietszche for Nazi Germany–he pointed out that solidarity would help the team during a tough time. That’s it.
9 trophies in 19 seasons (maybe 10 in 20 by next Sunday night)
Whereabouts do you see the class? He has blatantly lied for months saying the contract situation is not affecting the players. Surely it is selfish not to announce his plans so it would not be a factor. He claims to love the club but has helped create huge unrest, from the contract situation as well as from the division in the fanbase. The classy thing would have been to announce his departure and plans for a successor.
His situation was clear. “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t”. I think he handled it in the best way given the circumstances. A class act.
No ! Nothing to do with ‘ a class act’. Because if he was, he would have stated clearly in the wake of the Munich debacle that he no longer had what it took to lead Arsenal and announced he was leaving at the end of the season. In other words now. That would have been a class act. Instead, with the smell of a two year contract, worth £20 million on offing, he hopes to hang around. Well try this equation :- Wenger + Kronke – Sanchez + Thursday / Sunday Football = A better / or a Worse… Read more »
Did you not pay attention to what happened to city last season with Pellegrini? Announcing that your leaving mid season or being forced to announce it is plain disrespectful and can have an even more demotivating affect on players who by the way have a lot of respect for him.
What the fuck are you on about? It was Pep who blindsided Pellegrini and what you saw from the City team was a reaction to not informing the players about an imminent managerial decision.
Do you really believe he can’t get that kind of a contract from another club, say PSG for example. He has been a great manager and knows there are other teams that would match what Arsenal would offer him. You may not like the way he is managing the team right now, but at least be realistic. It’s not about money.
The difference is that PSG, in fact no other top club in the world would treat their manager the same way Arsenal do. No other top club would accept what can only be considered as failure for a long period of time as Arsenal has. The reality is Wenger has it easy at Arsenal comparatively speaking. It is a more or a less a guaranteed position for him. In addition, he would not be afforded as much freedom at other clubs as he is at Arsenal where because of the incompetence of the board, he is pretty much the manager… Read more »
OH what the fuck ever, Robbo. Like you’d ever get that wet dream from any manager, class or shite. Nice impossible narrative you’ve got going there.
I don’t think he’s hanging around at Arsenal for the money. He could get more someplace else. There are many big clubs in Europe who would love to have Wenger as their manager.
How do you divide Thursday by Sunday?
Despite what some people think, Arsene Wenger also has a boss.
In light of his interviews today, I think it’s becoming more apparent that he’s been told from above to zip it and not talk about his future.
His comments about his future affecting the players is, in my mind, a veiled message to the board.
“The classy thing would have been to announce his departure and plans for a successor.”
Thanks for the laugh. At times like these I feel we don’t deserve Wenger and I would love for us to get a Pulis and watch him slug it out with the fans constantly moaning. That would prolly get you some idea of what class is.
I really hope he is going out of the door. What a shit season and it will get worse now in the FA Cup final I think has we have no team now.
I can’t see us getting many decent players next season due to being in the shit Cup. I can’t see Sanchez and Ozil staying now we are not in the champions league. I can see Sanchez being sold and Chelsea getting him this season or free next season.
Well done Wenger for a great season well done.
Can you see deez nutzzzz?
It’s nice to see real fans get behind the club before the cup final.
You’re an angry little elf, aren’t you?
He’s entitled to his opinion, as we all are. I think the manager has been great, but clearly can’t take the club to the next level, he’s brought us great consistency but we’ve not progressed in the league or the champions league, I think it’s fair to be critical of that, the club is a business and can rake in cash, we can criticize as much as we want to
“Even if I leave one day…..”
So it seems never leaving is an option which he is considering.
He is utterly delusional. Nero fiddling whilst Rome burnt, looks like foresight, compared to this.
Why couldn’t the players shown that much resilience earlier on in the season?
Because they cannot play under pressure. That is why we no longer win titles. Performances only picked up after the pressure was off and top 4 looked impossible.
The 10-2 defeat to Bayern a recent example of crumbling under any sustained pressure!
The pressure went right to the last day, wanker.
The manager hasn’t been able to find players with that winning attitude, with few exceptions in Cech and Sanchez and Sanchez looks like he’s probably off to win somewhere else. Realistically the club should take away the pressure of finishing such talent now at this stage in the managers career, the squad should be built by the club as there will have to be new management at some point
He said earlier in the season it would be decided in March/April. He said don’t judge the team now, but in May. Today he admitted his contract situation affected the player’s after stridently denying this on several occasions. For goodness sake just tell the truth. I want him gone. I believe there is no credible reason to award him on a new contract based on his league and champions league record after signing his last deal. But whatever the situation is just clarify it. It’s clear he’s put his own interests ahead of the club. Sure he can talk blissfully… Read more »
What is this, secondary school?!? You can want him to leave, fine (I have mixed feelings but agree that he should probably go), but “he’s too much of a pussy,” is just a ridiculously immature, ignorant thing to say. It makes you sound like a 15 year old in gym class. Please.
You can phrase it however you like, be it cowardly or pathetic or whatever else, the point remains. He has deliberately attributed to the teams weak performances by virtue of the fact he refused to clarify his contract situation which as we all knew and as he said today had a negative impact on team. Reason why he hasn’t announced decision is because its likely a new deal which he cannot justify and goes at odds with supporter sentiment
It’s down to the club to clarify his position! He wants to stay we all know that, but as always the board say fuck all and he gets the stick
I stand with Mizog here.
As Blogs has pointed out before, wenger has been something of a lightening rod for fans anger. Only now are they cottoning on to the fact that kroenke and the board are just as much to blame for the lack of clarity in the managerial situation and the future direction of the club.
Have the last two seasons been so disastrous? Stale maybe, but not like we spent £90m on a player and finished 6th. Or finished 10th. Etc. I mean, if he was such a pussy he could have walked at any time and taken a job at PSG. Maybe if you cut out the insults, you may understand what a consummate professional looks like. He’s not passing the buck, blaming the fans, the players or his bosses… but he’s definitely been sold short by all three groups here. He’s definitely not performed well under that pressure either but hes never placed… Read more »
Fake. Wenger blames EVERYONE including the fans. I find your comment to be a case of burying your head in the sand. Against Bayern Munich, it was the referee who had let us down. On how many occasions was it the referee? Every other match seems to be blame on the referee. The fans created a hostile environment this season which led us to not qualify for the champions league: “…It didn’t help me but I’m experienced enough to deal with it, but I think it was a big handicap for the team and the players. They played in a… Read more »
There is no denying the guy loves the club and really I love him too. But unfortunately love can only take you so far, and this year that is 5th place. He has done great things for the Club but all good things must come to an end.
It worries me the number of so called fans who think we have a right to always finish top 4. Yes at times it’s been a frustrating season and players have let the manager down and likewise however we have turned a corner, we have a squad of mostly excellent players despite everything have only just come up short. Not everyone can get top 4. We have been spoilt for far too long
Finishing 4th is the bare minimum, even Wenger admits to that. We haven’t been spoiled to finish in the Top 4 when it results in no trophies or even sustained league challenges. I guarantee you the majority of fans would’ve taken three or four years outside the top 4 in the last decade if we meant we won and/or competed for the league in the other years. He didn’t achieve the minimum. He hasn’t competed at the top for years. He does not deserve to remain.
What I’m about to say isn’t really in conflict with your main point about 4th being the bare minimum, but I think it’s worth pointing out that “three or four years outside the top 4 in the last decade” would have made it virtually impossible for us to compete for the league since then. Look at Liverpool, look at United since Fergie left. It’s incredibly hard to stay in the top 4 every year, and incredibly hard to get back to it, much less challenge for the title, if you fall out. Sure Liverpool did when they had Suarez, who… Read more »
It is the bare minimum BECAUSE of ARSENE WENGER. Before him Arsenal were middle of the table more often than not. This consistency has spoiled some people into thinking that we as a club have always been amongst the elite. No sir we have not. The minimum top 4 finish is AW’s level. Whether he deserves to remain or not is another matter but even Sir Alex with his millions at United finished outside the top 4 times more than 3-4 times.
It worries ME when fans accept our decline. Thinking we’re spoiled because we want success.
If we as fans accept, and are happy with 5th, then we ducking deserve it. I know I’m not happy. 5th place, losing to spu*s and almost every top team pisses me of.
Add to the mix, being consistently horrible against top 4 sides and some seasons being generally worried about getting a hiding at places
I agree people can feel entitled but I don’t agree that the squad is mostly excellent players, they are mostly very good players which isn’t good enough to win the league or get past the knockout stage in the champions league. There are a few exceptions such as Sanchez but realistically how many Arsenal players get into the teams in the top 4
Well if i am a fan of say, Leicester City, i wouldn’t be bothered at all if the team finishes among the top half or not. Many of us feel bothered because we know this team deserves something better. Wake up! Showing absolute love for the team shouldn’t turn you blind to the critics.
Based on our wealth and budget we should be finishing every year in the top 4…Just look at Spurs the last years with lot less money…
No, we are not spoilt. We would have been spoilt if we were winning EPL every year or reaching the champions league finals every second. I agree that you can’t stay in top 4 every year but that’s not the goal, right? It’s ok to drop out of top 4 if you are winning the league once in a while too. But if top 4 is all you get to celebrate, then it hurts to see the team dropping out of it. Look at Spurs. Hate to say it but under Pochhetino that lot is doing what we used to… Read more »
Stop right there Arsene. After months of claiming it wasn’t important now you admit what we all know. The uncertainty around your contract impacted our season. That’s all I needed to hear mate. Thanks but good bye. That means I CAN call you selfish, unprofessional and deluded. And yes I CAN massively question your love of the club. As far as I am concerned YOUR words are Trump like I.e terribly incriminating. Please please please leave the club. You horribly underperformed again this year. Think of the club and go now to at least give the club months (not weeks)… Read more »
Please Arsene, for the good of the club just go.
“Even if I leave one day…” – is that a threat?
As a classy man once said: “In a football club today, you have to employ people who can help you to be successful.”
We haven’t exactly been the model of success in the last, um, decade, have we?
“And sometimes it is necessary to make harsh decisions.”
Indeed.
Win the Cup. Have a good summer. Prepare well for next season. Up the Arse….
I think Chelski will batter us, they look extremely good now at this time of the season and we are now missing our best defenders
Can’t help but think that he’s calling it a day after the FA cup final. You could see how hurt he is by the whole situation in the post game interview and presser. its a shame that the atmosphere within the fans is so bad that a man that has given that much to the club can’t even go on the lap of honor after the last game of the season because he has to fear that it turnes into something traumatic then. You can love him or hat him but you can’t deny that he’s always acted classy. Would… Read more »
It’s all a bit of a mess. Some of his comments today made we wonder if perhaps he is going to go after the cup final, but I doubt it. I suspect he’ll still be there next season. It seems strange for Wenger to say his situation affected the players, as he’s been saying the opposite for months. It’s quite damning of both him and the board. I can’t see things getting much better soon. You’d expect Alexis to go, and realistically, whoever we replace him with isn’t going to be as good, looking at who’s available and might want… Read more »
Ugh.
Arsenal missed by a point.
My situation affected the players
1+1=2
Everywhere but here
So true. 75 points shows there was talent to build on. Which to be fair Wenger built. But honestly to win the league you need harmony. He should know that. It’s not good enough to leak seasons. Every season counts. That’s why season tickets cost so much. And why he gets paid so much. To let his crappy smirking about whether he was staying persist so long is just an act of a selfish person who has lost perspective. Each season he should pull his finger out and give it his all not contribute to a bizarre 6 month “nothing… Read more »
It’s such an irony that those fans who protested during the whole season to get him out, and with that are probably responsible for the fact that the board has withdrawn the contract offer, which I’m pretty sure is the case, are now moaning that this situation affected the players. YOU are responsible for this situation. Also YOU are responsible for the fact hat Arsenal always collapses under pressure because these are the moments where you need your 12th man most, and in these situations our fans rather booh players than cheer them up.
Well, they only have themselves to blame for making it a ‘very difficult environment’. They have tried the fans’ patience year after year with weak willed performances and lame annual slumps.
Curious as to his cryptic comment ‘And some other reasons I will talk about another day’…..
Disingenuous article, Blogs. Wenger preceded the personal situation statement with the “psychological environment” the players played in since January. Wouldn’t you want your reader base to debate that too?
Yeah people should really watch the press conference themselves, quite a lot more to it than is reported in the article, like how he said that his situation effected the players but then wouldn’t admit that providing clarity earlier would’ve been useful. Was all a bit weird really
Total bollocks again from Arsene. He knows what’s happening. He clearly doesn’t respect the fans enough to tell us. Arrogant, stubborn to the last. And, for the umteenth time : it’s certainly possible to have endless respect for him and his past achievements, and still think he’s behaving like a twat now.
His radio interview sounded like he was blaming the fans for the season going belly up – unreal. Also he said ‘ We will win the Prem, IF we keep this team together’ getting his excuses in early as usual. He’s gone from financial doping to if we keep the team together – pathetic. So when Alexis, Ox and Ozil (if the lazy ….) has any ambition etc leave, well there you have it from the arrogant horses mouth.
Again depends how you want people to see it.
Sure there may be some effect stemming from his postponed decision but if he had announced he was staying then, imagine how much more toxic certain people would have made the environment? Would that be better for a team lacking confidence and struggling to find fluency then?
And if he said he was leaving, then a number of players would have their eyes on the summer already.
So blatantly saying Wenger needed to make a decision then is pure nonsense.
As far as the future is concern, I think he needs to either gain top 4 or win the FA cup to have any semblence of a mandate to carry on. Hence post FA cup for the decision. I think his preference would be to step down in a year so he has a season to ‘reconstruct’ and oversee certain things put in place before his departure. IT makes better sense in some ways for the 2018 post Wcup time frame as there will be a general management reshuffle then and he could then shoe in to the National job… Read more »
Wenger spent 100million, didn’t lose any major players. And still we finished worse than ever during his reign.
If any other manager did the same we would be having a laugh.
You owe it to yourself to watch the press conference. Truly odd. Almost seems like he hasnt been told anything about next year, and wants to blame Ivan, Stan, etc. but he stops short.
I have been totally convinced hes staying, and i still think it’s likely, but the press conference almost seems to suggest otherwise.
Watch it and see what you think. Its on the club website.
Whether he stays or goes, or Ozil and Sanchez stay or go, let’s get it sorted out quickly at seasons end. If I was to pinpoint one match were we blew top 4, it would be the first one at home to Liverpool. Not doing our business early, and starting with Chambers and Holding cost us. Even a draw in that game would see us above Liverpool tonight.
We can’t afford a similar start next season. Of, course not playing like rank amateurs from January to April will also put us on a better course.
You need to save all of these words for your autobiography Wanger old mate. You might sell a few books.
You want him to go. I want him to stay. Neither of us will have any influence about what happens, so can we stop this pointless arguing. Which other teams are in the Europa league next season? Anyone know yet?
My feeling is that the board and Stan will give 2 year extension to AW no matter what happen with the FA Cup final. Let’s face it, they don’t have succession plan at thr moment.
Saturday morning: Arsenal announce Wenger 2 years extension. Saruday evening: people get hyped about players doing it for Wenger tomorrow. Sunday afternoon: Chelsea win the FA Cup 3-0.
So top four really is harder than it looks.
It’s becoming abundantly clear there’s a lot more shyte going on behind the scenes than any journo can be bothered to really get to the bottom of.
Can’t see Arse winning the FA Cup final with no defence but am looking forward to the Yerpa League – the change of scenery will be a good thing.
I’m so sad seeing him like this. I still think he’s an incredibly intelligent human being. But when it comes to football he’s become too stubborn over the years. He shouldn’t be doing this any longer. I don’t know if the board was preventing him from being honest about his contract situation, but these past two seasons have shown that Arsene has reached his limit. And so have the fans. All of us are sick of hearing the same excuses time after time. It’s really frustrating to see a man who I used to admire so much become like this.… Read more »
Let this man go he is like an old dog he lacks new tricks .