Arsene Wenger used his final post-game press conference at Emirates Stadium to underline his attachment to the arena that he helped Arsenal build.
The Frenchman played a key role in the move from Highbury in 2006, turning down opportunities to coach elsewhere to involve himself in the minutiae of the design, look and feel of our ‘new’ home.
Speaking after watching his side’s 5-0 thrashing of Burnley, he spoke touchingly of his affection for Ashburton Grove and how lucky he has been to embark on a 22-year journey with the Gunners.
On saying goodbye to the Emirates…
It is a very sad day for me. I came here [to the Emirates] to make the first photos and then the lorries came in when it was a deposit for the rubbish. I have worked on every single part of this stadium from your press conferences to the technical area so, of course, it’s part of myself. But as well it’s a day where the people that come behind me can work in good conditions. My successor inherits a team that is much better than people think it is. With the right additions this team will challenge next year.
On making people happy…
I think I played 840 Premier League games. Do you know how many sleepless nights that means? Before the game, after the game. Sometimes to make people happy is to go somewhere else. I want to make people happy. My ambition was to win with style. That was always my target.
On moving on…
I have to deal with it [his departure]. It is a story that ends. You have not many guys that have managed a club of this stature for 22 years, so I have been very lucky. I will cherish every moment I was here but as well it’s a new start for me.
On returning to watch a match in the North Bank…
I would be happy to do that. The positive of that is I can shout at the next manager.
He has made us very happy. All our major rivals have been lower than 6th in the years he has managed us.
We have been spoilt by him. I hope whoever takes over can live up to our greatest manager.
He is definitely an Arsenal fan
United? Or do you mean at some point in a league season. If what you said is true then it shows incredible consistency.
Check out their finishing positions in the last 4 seasons, 4th is the highest.
As I said, we’ve been spoilt.
Absolutely spoilt. Too many people (on here, even) use words like ‘disaster’ and ‘failure’ to describe the last few years under Wenger. They moan that we’ve slipped to 6th place this season, but even over the last 10 years, no other club can claim to have been so consistently successful. 2 years ago, Liverpool were in 8th place and Chelsea were 10th. 4 years ago, United finished 7th. And back in 2009, Sp*rs were 8th and City finished 10th. We may not have come higher than 2nd while United, City and Chelsea have shared the league titles (along with Leicester)… Read more »
True, but ultimately it’s the league form/position that top clubs are judged on. Managers have been sacked recently for winning the CL but having poor league finishes.
Not ‘are’, but you choose to. You know why? Cause it was trophies, oh so many years without one. Once the team won a few FA cups and Community Shields, suddenly there was not a word about trophies anymore, it’s the league title, and domestic cups are worthless. And if he would won the league, I bet suddenly it would become “ultimately it’s the European form/position that top clubs are judged on.”
“Sometimes to make people happy is to go somewhere else. I want to make people happy”
Completely agree that we’ve been spoilt. Unfortunately it was the ‘Arsenal Fan TV’ culture that ultimately pushed Wenger out of his beloved club. Yes, the media played up the hype and made it seem like we all hate his guts too. I’m just sad he feels the fans pushed him out :'(
Important point – Man U , Chelsea , Man City – 3 clubs which spend far more and , Spurs and Liverpool which have equivalent spending power have not been able to maintain 20 years of consecutive top 4 , and to remain above 6 th position consecutively for 22 years . The Wenger out Brigade will only realise what they had and what it was worth in a few years from now . The stadium itself is a monument to Wenger’s achievements … with what he had , time will show that his achievements withArsenal were outstanding .Now there… Read more »
Please name it The Arsene Wenger stadium/arena/etc.
Fuck these sponsor named stadiums. Horrible.
Stadia?
Stadia is indeed the correct Latin plural of stadium. It is, however, far more common for English speakers to use stadiums.
You justify your name.
It’s a lovely idea, but the revenue loss would put us at even more of a disadvantage to get back to the top
A stand named after him and a statue outside the stadium would be a fitting tribute
Wengerdome* gets my vote
*Credit: some lad before me on some other post, but I can’t be bothered
Wengerley !
There was an old man named Arsene, who’s renowned for getting teams passin’, he brought us success, and a fuck load of stress, and his name will be ever lastin’
Not just our greatest manager, but truly a great man!!!
Can’t wait for him to bring out the #WengerIN banner.
Greatest manager we ever had/ will have .All the ” I want it all and I want it now” brigade have finally got him out. Listened to Ian wright on the TVs yesterday, what a hypocrite, can,t believe he,s still got a job after all the tripe he,s dished out recently. I will give it till half way through next season before the tribalistic idiots start screaming for the new managers head . Careful what you wish for.
One Arsene Wenger.
His love for the club cannot be overstated; having turned down Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern andas ridiculous amounts of money from lesser clubs, he truly is a fan. He, unlike many others, put Arsenal before his own personal glory; he could have gone somewhere else and win it all, but he stayed, like all of us.
One of Us. One Arsene Wenger. We will never forget.
Is your avatar, if that’s what you call them? From world cup in ’86? Reminds me of my first panini sticker album.
It is! World Cup in Mexico, I was born that year too!
Hahahaha… I’m sure we’ll all shout at the next manager at some point. I love this man
That line was instant classic.
Killer last line!… I’m going to miss his humour. I hope we continue to hear his thoughts on the club… shame here’s not on Twitter really…
I just wonder who these people are that give thumbs down for every comment praising Arsene Wenger
Let me guess. Fat Cunt or one of his cunty siblings.
I think these people are precisely those in the minority who use their professed support for Arsenal as a flimsy cover for some personal emotive bias against Wenger himself — I shudder to think what the basis for this personal bias is ….
je voudrais vousdire combien arsenal wenger sont aimes dans le monde .je crois qu arsenal va perdre beaucoup de fans a travers les continents.MERCI MONSIEUR WENGER .22 ans de bonheur
Someone needs to stop chopping these onions
He is a special man. Winning is important don’t get me wrong but Football(life) is more than merely winning things. Those nearly also moments are equally if not more memorable. Remember that dummy by Pele that he almost pulled off during the world cup back in the day. But with Wenger you have a builder and a philosopher. Someone who built up the club and bought/built brilliant players. Someone who lived stubbornly by his brand of football even if the squads he assembled in later years could not entirely pulled it on. Those special moments and goals, the audacity to… Read more »
We will miss you too.
I genuinely appreciate the frustration and despair directed towards him and the team over the years, but I do wish he was given the opportunity and (crucially) direction to rebuild a championship team. The years of fiscal hardship and responsibility he had to endure in order to keep the bankers at bay, were by no mean feat. I mean that in a sense that it felt as though he had to (personally) take the hit – just as he was accustomed to with the playing squad. I didn’t see the Board/Director’s ONCE shoulder the blame for the state of our… Read more »