Wenger wants four more years
That’s not a threat. My preference is always to manage Arsenal.” Arsene Wenger, on his future with the Gunners
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on Saturday said he wants to stay in management for at least another four years, preferably with the Gunners.
A cloud hangs over Wenger’s future, with his Arsenal contract expiring at the end of the season and events on the pitch exposing him to renewed criticism from fans.
Wenger said last week that he intends to continue working as a manager even if his 21-year reign ends at the north London club.
And, speaking ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup fifth-round Monday night trip to nonleague Sutton United, the Frenchman indicated he has no plans to resign in May.
Asked about his future, the 67-year-old said: “If you have a team, maybe you can employ me.
“That’s not a threat. My preference is always to manage Arsenal. I have shown that. But I am adult enough to analyze the situation.”
Wenger’s latest low came last Wednesday when Arsenal was crushed 5-1 at Bayern Munich in the Champions League, leaving it on the brink of a seventh successive last-16 exit.
The Gunners’ Premier League title hopes are waning as they trail leader Chelsea by 10 points.
But Wenger is not ready to walk away yet and wants to work for longer than Manchester United great Alex Ferguson, who was 71 when he retired in 2013.
“Ferguson has some other interests in life,” Wenger said.
“He was older than I am today. He was four years older and retired at 71. I’m 67. Maybe (I’ll manage for) more, or maybe less. I don’t know. Everyone is different.
“I do not want to take anything away from Ferguson. He was an unbelievable manager but had enough. I’m not at that stage.”
Wenger also said last week he will make a decision on his future in March or in April, a change from his previous suggestion it would beat the end of the season.
Lifting the FA Cup would help take some of the heat off Wenger, but he fears the remainder of his side’s season could be badly affected by its abject showing in Munich.
“It (the recovery) will never be quick,” he said. “We will keep that with us for our whole lives. But overall I still believe in life if you dwell too much on the past, you forget to prepare the future.
“You have to show that is part of a successful life. You have to deal with disappointments and focus 100 percent on what is in front of you and deal with that.”
Mesut Ozil’s lackluster performance against Bayern generated severe criticism, but Wenger tried to deflect blame from the playmaker.
“When you have a heavy defeat like that, it’s difficult to come out on one individual because you look at the way we conceded goals and you can as well criticize some other players,” he said.
“But overall for every single player it is always to try to get up to the next level and he is like everybody else.
“I absolutely accept the situation and analyze it well. No matter how much we cry together, we will not change the result. The only thing we can do is win the next game.”