Arsene Wenger has ruled out retirement as he hints that he will extend his contract at Arsenal.
Veteran manager Arsene Wenger has hinted that he will remain at Arsenal beyond the expiration of his current contract.
Speculations have been rife about his future following Arsenal's usual capitulation which saw them lose ground in the Premier League race.
Their midweek 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich heightened talks of his future but Wenger has insisted that he is not ready to retire.
"No matter what happens I will manage next season, whether it’s here or somewhere else. That’s absolutely for sure," Wenger said in a press conference on Friday.
"I think what is important is that the club makes the right decision for the future. I did not work here for 20 years not to care for the club," he also said.
"I had many opportunities to go somewhere else during that period and I care about this club and it’s future. It’s very important that the club is always in safe hands, whether it’s me or somebody else."
Wenger also confirmed that he will make a final decision on his future in April.
Quotes from his press conference on Friday, February 17
The 5-1 defeat at Bayern Munich
“We were in an ideal position at half-time because we scored and away goal at 1-1 and after that it all went wrong for us defensively. We lost Koscielny – who will have a scan today – and lost our structure, we were naive. At 3-1 I think we were mentally affected.”
Team spirit ahead of FA Cup fifth round trip to Sutton.
“Normal team. I gave players a chance i previous rounds because I thought they deserved to play. They have done well and one or two might have another opportunity to show they can play in every game.
“The main emotion is that everybody after a big disappointment regroups and focuses on the next game, to take care of the consequences a disappointing result can have on everybody’s spirit and everybody within the club. Now we have to bounce back, that is what life is about.”
Next line of action
“Rebuild confidence and belief in what we think is important in the game. That means the way we want to play football, the way we want to defend and attack.”
Dressing room row in Germany
“No, not at all. Everybody of course we deeply disappointed and affected but there was no incident apart from huge sadness and disappointment.”
FA Cup
“I don’t know but the FA cup is one of our targets and it’s the next game. It becomes a very important game – but it always was in my head.”
“In my head, I have the team that will start and play there for a week or 10 days now. The result at Bayern Munich will not influence that selection.”
Whereabout of Sanchez
“He has a court case in Barcelona and he will be back in training tomorrow.”
Criticism about Wenger
“No because I’m used to it. I’ve been here for 20 years and I think in life it’s important to do what you think is right. The rest is judgement and I am in a public job and have to accept that.
“I have to behave with my values and the way I see my job and accept everyone can have an opinion on it.”
On conversation with Arsenal chiefs
“Every time I have the opportunity I do.”
On his future
“No. No matter what happens I will manage next season, whether it’s here or somewhere else. That’s absolutely for sure.”
“On a night like that, of course I hate defeat I hate to lose games. I want to do well for this club and I feel a big responsibility.
“You do not spend 20 years somewhere and you walk out of a game like that and whistle. It’s difficult but I also have the strength and experience to respond to that.
“I would like to add as well we played against a good Bayern team that has won this competition and has 11 top class players. It’s important to put into perspective that they are top class players.”
Is the uncertainty harming Arsenal’s season?
“I think we have to focus on real problems. Real problems are the way we play football and not my future. The priorities are how we respond to defeat and how we stay together. It’s important in life not to look for excuses in life and to focus on what you can influence.”
Again on criticism of him
“Maybe but that’s an eternal debate when you are somewhere for a long time and you have a big disappointment.”
“Even if I go, Arsenal will not win every single game in the future, that’s a part of it. If you look at when I arrived, Arsenal had played less games in the Champions League that I had managed in my career already.
“I hope in the future that we can win this trophy, or Arsenal can win this trophy. But it’s not like before I arrived, Arsenal had won 5 European Cups – they had never won it and had played about 10 games in it in the history of the club. You have to put some demands in perspective.”
On the proper way to transition
“No I think what is important is that the club makes the right decision for the future. I did not work here for 20 years not to care for the club. I had many opportunities to go somewhere else during that period and I care about this club and it’s future. It’s very important that the club is always in safe hands, whether it’s me or somebody else.”
“As long as you do not win absolutely everything, there’s always something wrong. You have to accept that because you always want to go to the next level.
“On the other hand, in the last 20 years only three clubs always managed to play in the Champions League and they are Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Nobody else. That means that if everything is not perfect, not all is wrong either.”
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