Wenger to coach next season, even if he leaves Arsenal
Arsene Wenger wants to continue coaching next season, even if it's not at Arsenal.
The 67-year-old Frenchman's contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the season. He has yet to commit to extending a reign that began in 1996, saying a decision is expected by April.
"No matter what happens I will manage next season," Wenger said Friday. "Is it here or somewhere else that's absolutely for sure?"
The pressure has intensified on Wenger since a 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, leaving Arsenal facing a seventh straight elimination in the last 16. Arsenal has never won the European Cup and has not won the Premier League trophy since 2004.
"Even if I go, Arsenal will not win every single game in the future," Wenger said. "That's part of it, you have to accept that. As much as it hurts to lose games."
Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke told The Associated Press last year that the club is "all very high on Arsene," but sections of the fan base have been calling for Wenger to leave for some time.
"That's an eternal debate when you are somewhere for a long time and there is a big disappointment," Wenger said. "What's important is the club makes the right decision for the future."
Wenger maintained that he has had "many opportunities to go somewhere else" during his Arsenal career but was committed to the north London club, overseeing the move to the Emirates Stadium from Highbury in 2006.
"I care about this club and I care about its future and I think it is very important the club is always in safe hands," Wenger said. "Is it me or somebody else?"
Arsenal is fourth in the Premier League and next plays on Monday in the FA Cup against fifthtier club Sutton in south London.
Wenger will be missed by Arsenal but memories are no reason to keep him as manager
There are many reasons to keep faith in a football manager: for fear of finding something worse is not among them. That it remains the strongest case for extending the tenure of Arsene Wenger shows how far Arsenal
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The qualities of his team do not form a substantive case. It is more the thought of the unknown, life beyond Wenger, that continues to unnerve. What if it got worse?
This is, after all, a squad that Wenger built and may not respond to changes in strategy and method. The restructuring process could be expensive and long.
Look at Manchester United after Sir Alex Ferguson. What if Arsenal's future echoed that? What if the chance to be annihilated in the first knockout round of the Champions League became a fond memory? What if, like United, hundreds of millions were spent with still no guarantee of success?
The sad truth is, it no longer matters. Arsenal cannot keep feeding this relative mediocrity on the basis of conjecture. If it's worse, it's worse. But how much worse can it be? 6.30pm, GO Sports 2, English FA Cup, Wolves-Chelsea (live) 8.45pm, GO Sports 2, Italian Serie A, Empoli-Lazio (live) Golf 5am, GO Sports 1, PGA European Tour, World Super Six Perth – Day 3 (live) Rugby 4pm, GO Sports 5, Aviva Premiership round 15, Bath Rugby-Harlequins (live)
How much worse than a second 5-1 defeat in Munich in under two years? How much worse than a seventh consecutive exit in the Champions League last 16? How much worse than a performance that was the summation of every criticism aimed at Wenger and Arsenal for close to a decade now?
'And always keep a-hold of Nurse, for fear of finding something worse,' wrote Hilaire Belloc in his cautionary poem, Jim (who ran away from his Nurse and was eaten by a lion).
Wenger, of course, is Nurse in this metaphor. Arsenal's owners cling to him, lest they make a change and fail to receive the financial security of a top-four finish. Yet, increasingly, that day of ultimate calamity draws closer.
If Wenger stays, this narrative has a natural end, whether this season or in the future, and it is not in the triumph of vindication. A team as flawed as Arsenal cannot
Tomorrow
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Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are 14 points better off than they were after 25 games last season, Manchester United seven, Manchester City five, Chelsea 30. Arsenal two. Significant strides are being taken around them with better to come.
Arsenal shuffle but largely stand still. If there is no guarantee a new man will take them forward, there is no concrete evidence to the contrary.
It is increasingly pointless to issue caveats that the club are still on course to qualify for Europe, or in the FA Cup. That would be stagnation, not progress. Arsenal have won the FA Cup twice recently — they have qualified for the Champions League every season since 1998-99. But they do no more than this.
They are not significantly contending for the title, they do not threaten the Champions League elite. Bayern sent out a mocking tweet at the end of Wednesday's game, anticipating a rematch next season and a third 5-1 thrashing.
They would not do that if they really respected Arsenal. To be so cocky at the midway point of a tie shows contempt. Munich are not wary of poking this animal with a stick. They do not fear its claws or bite.
If Arsenal are waiting for the moment Wenger can stand down with grand dignity that probably isn't going to happen, either. Ferguson's departure was exceptional. A final title win with a squad many thought inadequate afforded the perfect end.
Few get that. Brian Clough was relegated at Nottingham Forest; Howard Kendall avoided that fate in his third spell at Everton only on the last day of the season; Newcastle sacked Sir Bobby Robson before August was out.
If Wenger could lift the FA Cup a seventh time it would be a fitting end, but that is far from a certain wager.
There is even trepidation externally about Monday's fifth-round visit to Sutton. The Munich defeat has rocked the confidence regarding even the most straightforward tasks.
It is a myth that Wenger's critics have been waiting for this moment, that there is any relish in watching what is surely the endgame unfold. elite Fulham-Tottenham H . ............................ Blackburn R.-Man United ....................... Monday Sutton U.-Arsenal ...................................
Championship
Today Barnsley-Brighton .................................. Birmingham C-QPR Burton Albion-Norwich City ................... Cardiff City-Rotherham .......................... Ipswich Town-Leeds U ............................ Nottingham F-Sheffield W ..................... Wigan Athletic-Preston .......................... Monday Newcastle-Aston Villa ............................
League One
Today Bradford City-Bolton W .......................... Chesterfield-Bury ................................... Coventry City-Gillingham ....................... MK Dons-Fleetwood Town ..................... Port Vale-Bristol Rovers ......................... Rochdale-Charlton ................................. Sheffield U-Scunthorpe .......................... Shrewsbury Town-Wimbledon ............... Southend U-Northampton Swindon Town-Oldham .......................... Walsall-Peterborough United ................
League Two
Today Accrington S-Colchester ......................... Barnet-Portsmouth ................................ Blackpool-Crewe Alexandra ................... Cambridge U-Newport .......................... Cheltenham-Yeovil ................................. Crawley-Morecambe .............................. Doncaster R-Luton ................................. Exeter City-Stevenage ............................ Grimsby T-Mansfield T ........................... Hartlepool-Plymouth ............................. Leyton Orient-Notts Co .......................... Wycombe-Carlisle ..................................
SCOTLAND
Premier League
Today Celtic-Motherwell .................................. Hearts-Inverness CT ............................... Partick T-Hamilton Ac ............................. Ross County-St Johnstone ...................... Tomorrow Kilmarnock-Aberdeen ............................ Dundee-Rangers ....................................
Championship
Today Dumbarton-Ayr United .......................... Greenock Morton-Falkirk ....................... Raith Rovers-Hibernian ..........................
League One
Today Airdrieonians-Livingston ........................ Albion Rovers-Stenhousemuir ............... East Fife-Brechin City ............................. Queen’s Park-Alloa Athletic .................... Stranraer-Peterhead ..............................
League Two
Today Arbroath-Stirling A ................................. Berwick R-Forfar .................................... Cowdenbeath-Annan Ath ...................... Edinburgh C-Montrose ........................... Elgin City-Clyde ......................................