WENGER: SANCHEZ WILL STAY
In his first newspaper interview since signing a new Arsenal deal, Arsene Wenger reveals . . .
‘There’s not a lot to resolve now — it’s all been very positive’
ARSENE Wenger is relaxed. Dressed in a grey tracksuit and leaning against a wall in the basement of Sydney’s ANZ Stadium, the Frenchman has seen his new £52million striker score his first goal for the club.
The 67-year-old, who spent long spells last season under huge pressure from sections of the media and Arsenal’s own support, is feeling upbeat.
There were no ‘Wenger Out’ banners among the 80,000 fans at the Gunners’ first pre-season friendly and the clubrecord signing of Alexandre Lacazette may soon be broken with Monaco’s Thomas Lemar being lined up.
Moreover, Wenger believes Alexis Sanchez will stay at Arsenal — and reveals he has been texting the playmaker all summer. Sanchez has a year left on his contract and is wanted by Premier League rivals Manchester City.
Asked if Sanchez will stay, Wenger replies: ‘Of course. There is not a lot to resolve with the player. I have spoken through text and it was very positive. My thoughts are always positive.’
Does that mean he is convinced Sanchez will stay? Wenger laughs, before saying: ‘Did I not just answer that question?’
It is a far cry from the strain of the previous campaign when the ongoing saga over whether Wenger would sign a new contract split the club’s fanbase in two and saw plenty of vitriolic abuse aimed in his direction.
In his first newspaper interview since signing his new, two-year contract, he quickly points out he has to shoulder the blame for not making an ‘obvious’ decision sooner.
‘I love Arsenal Football Club,’ he says. ‘I had the choice to continue to work or to go and work somewhere else and when I had to take that decision it was always an obvious one.
‘I won’t tell you when I finally decided to sign because I don’t even know personally. My conviction, my desire was always there but I wanted to give myself some time.
‘In fact, I think it was a mistake because it brought in some uncertainty. It raised some opinions against and overall it was a difficult moment. It didn’t disturb me personally but maybe it had an influence on the team for sure at some moments in the season.’
At that season’s lowest point, with the contract unsigned and before a formation change which saw the Gunners win 10 of their last 11 games to finish fifth and lift the FA Cup, talk of change, even of a new director of football, was rife.
Chief executive Ivan Gazidis went on record to say their struggles must be a ‘catalyst for change’. Many anticipated a behind-thescenes reshuffle but with the new season approaching, changes have been minimal.
Many of the existing backroom have new deals. Ex-Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has returned as an assistant coach, while fitness guru Darren Burgess and Team Sky legal and commercial expert
Huss Fahmy have also joined the staff. If there was a House of
Cards-style power struggle, then Wenger was Frank Underwood — the underdog who ultimately ends up unscathed.
‘They do not change a lot,’ he says of the new arrivals. ‘The philosophy remains the same. They will bring their qualities and that is why I appointed them but the spirit and the way we want to play our football will not change.’
How that will go down with those who demanded transformation throughout a turbulent year is unknown. Asked if last season was the most difficult in his 21 years at Arsenal, Wenger pauses.
‘I don’t know,’ he says. ‘There were hard moments but the hard moments were more linked with lost games than with opinions and criticism. I can take a distance with opinions. It doesn’t mean I don’t care about opinions but I’m experienced enough to take a distance and focus on my job.’
Some of the abuse felt personal. But Wenger, who has been rising at 4am in Sydney as opposed to 5am in London, reveals his only issue was with criticism from the stands during matches.
‘There’s a difference between pressure — we all accept pressure — you live with that and I’ve lived with that for a very long time. But when the game starts you want the fans to support the team.
‘Before the game and after the game, anyone can say what they like. Today you have to accept that everyone has very harsh opinions about everything and we have to live with that. You want the fans to support the team, that’s all.’
He splits the campaign into three sections. ‘The first part was positive, the second was worryingly negative and the third was extremely positive. We finished with a trophy which looked at some stage very difficult because we played Man City in the semifinal and Chelsea in the final.’
Thoughts turn to the new season. Is the title the goal? ‘Don’t imagine that we prepare not to win the league,’ he says with a smile.
‘We prepare to have a chance to win the league but I would say we are at a level of other teams that can win the league as well.
‘At the end of the day, in the top six or seven, none of them will tell you that they don’t want to win the league.’
Given the angst displayed at the Emirates last year, it is important for Wenger that Arsenal get off to a good start when Leicester City visit for the Friday night kick-off of the new Premier League season. ‘Our first aim is to carry on from the final stage of the season and to start in a strong way,’ he says. ‘The last four years we’ve had difficult starts and it’s important for us to have a good start, even though we have a difficult programme when we kick off.’
Wenger did have a warning for injured Jack Wilshere that he needs to graft to get back into the Arsenal side.
The gifted 25-year-old midfielder, currently recovering from a broken left leg, spent part of last season on loan at Bournemouth and has been linked with a £9m move to Italy.
‘He has to work hard to come back and fight for a place in the team and once he is ready, when he comes back, he will not be far from practising with the team,’ the manager said.