A FOOTBALL ADDICT
Wenger: This feels like taking away a gun from someone who plays Russian roulette every week
ARSENE WENGER says he has been playing Russian roulette for 35 years – but will soon have to put away his gun.
The Arsenal boss admitted that football management is an addiction he cannot live without.
“I had no break for 35 years. In our job, you can look around, that doesn’t exist. I don’t know now how addicted I am,” he said.
Like the scene from the film The Deer Hunter with Robert De Niro, the Frenchman added: “I am a bit like a guy who plays Russian roulette every week and suddenly has no gun any more. So I will see how much I miss that gun.”
Wenger made it clear that he wants to work again at Champions League level, insisting that Arsenal’s Europa League semi-final with Atletico Madrid would not be his last European game.
But Wenger also stressed he would need a break – but not for very long. And then he laughed about how many people are in the frame for his job.
“You will not be short of candidates. That shows you as well that the place is a good place.
“Green outside, nice trees, good grass. Fantastic. No pollution. Until the press conference starts!” he joked.
“I wish that all goes well. You do not give 22 years of your life for something and you go away and want things to collapse.
“Not at my age. Maybe when you have a big ego at 40 you think the world cannot live without you.
“At my age you understand that when you go, the world continues and you wish that it continues better. At least I think that the guy can work in a positive environment. At the moment I am focused on tomorrow.
“My job goes to May, then I will go to the World Cup and see England win the World Cup. On penalties!”
Wenger has currently been in charge for 258 European games, Sir Alex Ferguson managed 270 and the Frenchman – who received a text and phone call from the former Manchester United boss wishing him well – believes he will be back.
“I think on the list of the guys who have played in Europe I am quite high up, if not the highest, so my target is to play in Europe again,” said Wenger.
He revealed that his biggest disappointment was losing the 2006 Champions League final and one of the highlights was winning at Real Madrid en route.
Wenger can sign off with a glorious farewell in Lyon in next month’s final if they can overcome Atletico and says: “The 2006 final was my biggest regret, yes.
“We played in the Champions League at the time with a team against, for example Juventus – who had Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Trezeguet up front and Vieira – or Madrid who had Zidane, Beckham, Figo and Ronaldo.
“The difference looked bigger on paper than it does today, so it would have been the greatest achievement as well.
“But you have to be realistic, we were in the Champions League final and if you look at Arsenal and the number of games they play in Europe in their whole history, you would see it is not Real Madrid. We have to be conscious of that as well, the history of the club has become very demanding.
“But the longer history of the club is not that bright that you can say the club has won 10 European Cups in their history. In our job there’s only one thing that matters – the next game. That’s what I’m focused on.
“Atletico Madrid are a very strong team. If you look at the table, they are the second-best team in Spain.
“That will demand total commitment on our side and a great discipline, because they have no real weak point.
“They are strong defensively, they are strong offensively, so we’ll need a complete performance.”