I’VE TAKEN 20 YEARS TO BUILD UP THIS CLUB.. YOU CAN’T FOCUS ON TWO BAD WEEKS
ARSENE WENGER says he has helped build Arsenal for the past two decades and does not deserve to be judged on two bad weeks.
Wenger was in a bullish mood yesterday, with his future once again under the spotlight ahead of a crucial run of games which will decide the Gunners’ season.
They face Bayern Munich tonight, host Lincoln in the FA Cup on Saturday, and then travel to West Brom a week later, having slipped outside the top four after defeat to Liverpool.
Arsenal fans are frustrated, having seen their star player Alexis Sanchez dropped, and are readying themselves for another early Champions League exit with many staying away from the Emirates with the tie all but over.
Wenger made it clear he is not ready to walk away without a fight and told fans to “look at the bigger picture”, even though that message is unlikely to go down well with a growing number who want change this summer.
The Gunners boss said: “I’ve been here for 20 years and think I’ve built the club up. It’s important for me that we’re always successful and that’s why I’ve given myself a bit of time.
“I haven’t come to a decision yet. I’ll wait a bit and see how the season finishes to take a bigger picture. You do not make this kind of decision focusing on one result or two bad results.
“You have to take a bigger picture and see if you can take this club to the next level, take yourself to the next level, see if you are ready to pay the price for that – but this decision is not necessarily linked with two weeks out of 20 years.”
After a glorious first decade under Wenger, the Frenchman’s next 10 years have delivered only two FA Cups and seen Arsenal slip further behind in European terms from genuine contenders to also-rans. There is uncertainty in the dressing room, in the boardroom and among the fans.
There is a two-year contract on the table but it has yet to be signed, although Wenger maintains any decision is not down to the players.
He said: “I can understand that I am criticised after these results, but it’s not down to the players to choose the manager.
“The players have to perform for this football club. I think we are at the best club in the world, and we have to show pride and commitment to defend the pride of this club.
“It’s not about the politics. We are not at a political club here, we are judged on performance. I have to perform and the players have to perform.”
Another defeat to Bayern on top of the 5-1 mauling in the first leg could see the atmosphere really become toxic. Wenger is genuinely uncertain over his future but clearly wants to stay – although he knows the fans will not wear it on the back of a bad finish to the campaign. However, Wenger could not resist a dig at Arsenal’s rivals Tottenham for failing to even get out of the Champions League group stages as he attempted to deflate the optimism at White Hart Lane with a reality check for opposite number Mauricio Pochettino.
The Frenchman added: “Basically, the teams that have gone out in the group stage are happy, you know. But we have gone through and we are in crisis. That is, of course, the problem but that’s part of it.
“We failed in the second half at Bayern Munich and we have paid for it. Having said that, we didn’t play against a weak team.
“We played against a team who fights to win the competition.”