WENGER: I HATE MYSELF WHEN WE’RE BEATEN
ARSENE WENGER reckons he hates himself more than anybody else when his team lose.
The Arsenal boss (left) is under increasing pressure as the Gunners face missing out on a top-four finish having already crashed out of the Champions League. Reaching the FA Cup Final against Chelsea has done little to silence the anti-Wenger element of the Emirates support, who continue to protest against the Frenchman being given a new contract this summer.
Wenger, 67, insists he can handle the
criticism, but admits losing is much harder to take.
He said: “I am like everybody – I prefer to be loved than hated, but I can take a distance with that.
“I know as well it is not the person itself, it is the fact the manager does not win the games.
“They want to win and I can make a difference in that. I don’t take it too personally.
“In fact, I hate myself – the manager – more than anybody when I don’t win. I am a very bad loser.”
Arsenal have not won the title since 2004, when captained by Patrick Vieira, but Wenger reminded fans just how tough it is to win the biggest trophies.
He said: “If you don’t win the championship, the FA Cup, the Champions League, it is absolutely disastrous. But if you look back in the last three years, we won the FA Cup twice and finished second, third and fourth.
“We are in the FA Cup Final again. Overall, I believe we are not happy because you want to win absolutely everything.
“But you have to accept as well that Real Madrid has not won their championship for five years. They are a big club – it is difficult.”