Potters in ambitious Jones bid
ARSENE WENGER has revealed he fears the day when he leaves Arsenal.
The Frenchman celebrates 20 years as Gunners boss in October and there is a growing feeling he will stand down when his contract expires at the end of the season.
But the 66-year-old, one of the most successful managers in Premier League history, is worried he will not know what to do with himself when he retires.
His former rival Sir Alex Ferguson quit Manchester United after 27 years and Wenger confessed he could not understand how the Scot was able to just walk away.
Wenger admits his concerns in a new book, Game Changers, by ex-West Ham and Charlton boss Alan Curbishley.
He said: “It’s been my life, and honestly, I’m quite scared of the day. Because the longer I wait, the more difficult it will be to lose the addiction.
“After Alex retired and we played them over there he sent a message to me to come up and have a drink with him.
“I asked, ‘Did you miss it?’ He said, ‘Not at all’. I didn’t understand that. It’s an emptiness in your life, especially when you’ve lived your whole life waiting for the next game and trying to win it.
“Our pleasure comes from that – and our social attitude as well.” Wenger has come under greater pressure in the past few seasons. Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2004 and fans are growing increasingly restless despite the team twice lifting the FA Cup in the past three seasons.
That has led to doubts over whether Wenger will sign a new contract with his current £8million-a-year deal ends.
He has spoken of how his future depends on results this season, which has started with one point from two games.
Despite his vast experience, every defeat still hurts as much as ever. He said: “As people, part of us loves to win and part of us hates to lose. The percentage to hate to lose in me is bigger. Managers hate to lose, and if you don’t hate to lose you don’t stay for long in this job.
“If a match goes really well I might go out with friends or family for dinner or a drink. If it doesn’t I’ll go straight home to watch another football game and see another manager suffer.
“If we lose it ruins my weekend, but I’ve learned over the years to deal with my disappointments and come back. What helps is when you come in, speak to your assistants, and then sometimes do a training session and start afresh.
“You could stay at home for FROM BACK PAGE money as if it were your own, because if you don’t do that you’re susceptible to too many mistakes.
“You make big decisions and I believe you have to act like it’s your own money, like you’re the owner of the club and you can identify completely with the club, because if you don’t do that I think you can’t go far.”
Fans chanted “spend some three days without going out if you wanted to, but at some stage life must go on. The next game gives you hope.”
Wenger started his managerial career at Nancy in 1984, before moving on to Monaco, Grampus Eight in Japan and then Arsenal in October 1996.
He says his job has changed beyond all recognition, although he claims he can still “connect” with young players despite being old enough to be their grandad.
He added: “Today I’m more a head of a team of assistants. I manage the players, but I manage my own team as well. You have a big medical team, you have a big video team, you have a big scouting team, you have inside fitness coaches, outside fitness coaches.
“You know, when I first started and coached I was alone with the team and I was 33 years old. I was alone with them – and that’s what I liked, that’s what I’ve always liked.
“I like to go out every day. I don’t like the office. I don’t like paperwork too much. I like football to be more outside than inside.
“When it comes to the age gap with players, I try to speak about what matters to them. I can’t give them the last song of the latest rapper in the country, but what I can tell them is how they can be successful. That matters to them.
“With the difference in age, I can’t act like I’m 20, but what hasn’t changed is that the boys try to find a way to be successful and if I can connect with them in that way I have a chance.” f***ing money” at Wenger after Saturday’s goalless draw at Leicester. The Frenchman later told how he felt a responsibility to the club’s 600 employees to be careful with funds.
Arsenal are determined to bring in a new centre-half before the transfer window closes but Valencia have demanded £50m for Shkodran Mustafi and West Brom want £25m for Jonny Evans (left). STOKE believe they will be able to pull off a transfer coup by landing Manchester United defender Phil Jones within the next week.
The Reds have told a number of clubs that the 24-year-old England man is not for sale.
But with £30million Eric Bailly a first choice and Jose Mourinho tracking the likes of Southampton’s Jose Fonte to reinforce United’s backline, the Potters are one of the clubs who still feel a deal can be done.
Mark Bowen, assistant to Mark Hughes at Stoke, said: “Fingers crossed, something may happen.”
Hughes has prioritised a top centre-half and at least one striker in this window.
Bowen added: “I don’t know what’s gone wrong, but Phil has gone from a player even Fergie was talking about as being someone who could be one of the greats.
“But we have a bit of reputation for bringing players like that into this set-up and then thriving.”
Jones has failed to appear in Mourinho’s first three matchday squads. But with United playing as many as 67 games this season, Mourinho needs defensive back-up and wants Jones to remain as cover for rightback Antonio Valencia.
Marcos Rojo will make way if Fonte is signed, while Matteo Darmian is likely to leave before deadline day.