Arsene Wenger was in reflective mood on Tuesday at his penultimate pre-match press briefing, ruminating on the past, the present and the future.
Having spent 22 years in English football, he was asked how would he change things for the better, and what sort of role he would like to take on next.
This is what he told the press:
on how he’d change the Premier League…
In English football, I think the fact that you have lost a little bit the tradition inside the clubs. Looking around a little bit, the spirit of togetherness inside the clubs, around the clubs, has dropped a bit. What I would change as well is that I would go straight away to VAR. Personally I think the game has gone in a positive development. Maybe for a really fair competition the difference in financial potential between the first and last team is a bit too big. That is maybe a danger for the future.
on how long he can continue to work for…
I don’t know. As long as I feel I want to. But overall [people] look at your age and make an issue of it. It becomes a bit discrimination. They don’t really look at how you work and perform. They think, ‘Oh he is old.’ I can understand that as I thought the same when I was young.
on if he could go on for another 10 years…
But who knows? I like the English saying, ‘You have to live every day like it’s your last’ and one day you will be right.
on if he could take a general manager role…
That’s what I have to decide.
on whether he prefers the day-to-day of management…
I have not made the decision so at the moment I would say yes, spontaneously yes. But maybe with a distance I will think, ‘No, maybe it’s a time to change a little bit of direction.’ Honestly, I can’t give you an answer. I don’t know. But I enjoy going out there every day, of course. You know I didn’t miss a training session in 22 years, I never stayed in my office. Every day I was out there. That is something that I will miss. I keep myself fit, I can still play! If I was really objective then I would pick myself every week. We have staff games. I don’t play with the players, they are a bit too quick for me.
on whether he will sit on the beach for a while…
I don’t look very good on the beach!
on whether he’s taking a momento from the club…
No, I’m always more looking forward. This has been a fantastic period for me, I have to turn the page and go for the next challenge.
Copyright 2024 The Arsenal Football Club Limited. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit being given to www.arsenal.com as the source.
