Monday, December 17th, 2012 « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News, supporting the club, the players and the manager
The pre Reading game press conference is almost about anything else but the Reading game.
At least Arsene’s intelligence and humour always shines through.
By Cameron Wolfe.
Through the last sixteen years Arsene has been asked thousand upon thousands of questions from the press. As far as I can remember he’s never shirked away from any of them.
Not like SAF who famously banished the BBC for seven years from Old Trafford over a programme about his son he didn’t like.
When I followed Dundee United the then chairman Jim Mclean punched a journalist for asking him a question that he’d previously told him not to ask.
Many managers over the years have imploded on screen or just walked out of the interview.
I can’t imagine Arsene reacting in such a way.
So just in case you don’t watch any of his interviews. Here’s his latest one. As usual he’s asked some hard questions and he never shirks away from answering them.
The questions were asked by several different journalists (J1, J2, J3 etc. denotes questions from different journalists) some with their own agendas.
Friday the 14th of December 2012:
Question 1: It’s been a tough week for Arsenal in many ways. What’s been the mood in the camp on the back of the Bradford defeat?
Arsene Wenger: Disappointment and frustration. That is normal when you go out of a competition like that. We can only look at ourselves for going out of the competition like that but we can only get on with it and look to the future.
Q 1: Arsenal has had difficult spells in the past. You’ve had difficult spells in the past. Is your experience vital at times like this?
A.W: experience of course is vital. Having said that in the last sixteen years it’s the first time we’ve gone out against lower a division. Like in any cup competition it’s one time too many but if you look at our record in this competition it shows you we have been consistent. We have always been focused on the competition and we prepared for it seriously. I don’t believe there’s much more to say about it. We have to swallow that. We now have to look to the future. We shouldn’t be judged how well we do not in the capital one cup but how we do in the league, the champions league and the FA cup. For the rest there is nothing to add.
Q 1: Team news concerning the game at Reading on Monday night?
A.W: It’s difficult as some players are still not practising, so it’s difficult to say who will be playing or not. Koscielny is coming to the group today. Walcott we don’t know.
Q 1: And Giroud?
A.W Giroud is back.
Q 1: And finally your thoughts on Reading? It’s been a difficult time for them this season?
A.W: They deserve a lot of credit. They came up last year for me surprisingly and they’re making it difficult for every team. So we’re expecting another battle but away from Home our results have been quite consistent and good. We now have two away games. We had a good game against WBA and it’s now time to confirm in our next away game.
Q 2: As far as difficult weeks go. How does this one rate in terms of your time at Arsenal?
A.W: I don’t think about that situation that way.
Q2: When clubs go through a difficult period. Reports often emerge of disharmony in the camp. Could you describe your relationship with Steve Bould? How would you describe it?
A.W: We are a united staff team. Unfortunately we cannot control the lies that are written in the newspapers. I believe it’s a good opportunity to show people that we are strong inside the club and let people talk. We are criticised when results are not good. We have to take that on the chin. That we have to face lots of lies is less acceptable.
Q2: How long do you think it will take the players to get over what happened at Bradford on Tuesday?
A.W: Well. We are top professional people and what is important is what happens tomorrow, not what happened yesterday. We are sorry for that but what is important is the next game.
Q2: Do you think that the defeat could have any impact on the discussions with Theo Walcott on a new contract? What’s the latest on that?
A.W: Honestly I don’t always understand your way your thinking. I cannot see that.
J2: Well it’s a competition you’re out of. It’s a competition you can’t win that’s why I was thinking that.
A.W: How should being out of the Capital One cup have an impact on the desire of a player to be part of the long term future of the club?
J2: So you believe that Theo will be part of the long term future here?
A.W: I believe so. Yes.
J2: How much do you think the squad needs strengthening in the transfer window?
A.W: The squad just needs to focus on the next game. Today I will certainly not talk about transfers or targets. We have a strong squad. I believe I have a very strong team. It’s down to us to prove me right.
J2: Ivan Gazidis has often talked about the long term plan here at Arsenal. From your point of view must be very gratifying. Is that long term plan still in very much in place as far as your concerned?
A.W: It depends what you call long term.
J2: well in terms of bringing players through, winning trophies and contending for them.
A.W: Look we have brought more players through. I read somewhere that if you look at the players who started at the top level at Arsenal football club in the last fifteen years we have been more together than all the other clubs together in the Champions league. I don’t know where you get your statistics from but you should check them.
J2: Martin O’Neil was asked if he was still the right man for the job at Sunderland. Would you say you’re still the right man for the job here Arsene?
J2: I have already answered this question. Let’s not become parrotic. (Is that a word? It is now)
J2: One last question from me. Do you still have faith in Uefa after the punishments they handed out in the light of what happened in Serbia?
A.W I don’t know well enough the rules. I always stood up against racism and I continue to do that but I don’t know well enough the rules and whether the punishment is harsh enough or not. That is down to the FA to combat that with Uefa.
J3: There seems to be a lot of speculation about whether Thierry Henry is coming back in January. Can you tell us anything about that?
A.W No. (Class)
J3: No. So you don’t see him being here?
A.W: No. I can’t tell you anything about it because nothing has happened. (So. Again that’s a no then)
J3: Does all the speculation surrounding Theo Walcott undermine what’s going on at the club? I mean it’s in the papers and on the radio and the TV all the time?
A.W: At least it keeps the papers busy.
J3: One other point. There’s talk of netting. Of putting netting up to stop what’s happening to Rio Ferdinand. Happening again. What are your thoughts?
A.W: I am completely against it. I’ve always thought one of the charms of the English game is the atmosphere and you can shake the hand of the supporter if you take a corner. That looks slowly to disappear. The security rules have changed and that alters that. Minimum distance between the pitch and the first supporter is 9m (Who knows stuff like this?). So I believe it is already big. What we need to control is people’s behaviour and encourage them to be fair with everybody. Be respectful. It’s a big job to do in England. You don’t want to kill the atmosphere or the closeness of people to the team.
J4: Is there any update on Abu Diaby’s fitness?
A.W: He’s slow progress.
J4: How long do you think he’ll be?
A.W: I cannot fix you any date. We are a bit in no man’s land on that front. He’s working and we’re waiting for him to come back but he’s not ready.
J5: Do you think he’ll play any part over Christmas?
A.W: Over Christmas? Certainly not.
J5: Have you spoke to Stan Kroenke recently?
A.W: No.
J5: Are there times like this that when you’re going through a bit of a difficult period that you wish he was a bit more vocal? Because it seems like you’re the one that takes all the flack?
A.W: I’m here for that and you do that very well. (Arsene smiles and the other journalists laugh)
J5: But would you not rather have an owner who’s happy to come out and talk about the direction of the club or give you more public support?
A.W: The direction of the club is fixed by me on the footballing front and when the football doesn’t work you don’t expect Stan Kroenke to intervene it’s down to me. It’s my job to do that.
J5: You feel internally though. He gives you all the support eh needs?
A.W: Yes of course. The only way to give you support is to leave you and let you work and do your job.
J6: Arsene. You’re still able to give us a smile and still be very positive about things but with everything that’s been going on recently, sometimes do you sit back and think, “You know what. Do I really need this? Do I really deserve all this?” You said you take all the flack but everybody’s been saying coming on the TV and the radio and saying this is what Arsene Wenger should do. This is what he should do.
A.W: My job is to be determined and to give importance to what is important. What is important is that I love football and I love this club and I give my best for this club. For the rest I cannot interfere with that but believe me I am highly focused on doing that. All the rest. It doesn’t interfere with my thinking. AT ALL.
J6: So you’re still as hungry now and determined?
A.W: I am very determined and very hungry. If I wouldn’t be I wouldn’t sit in front of you.
J6: Do you think that……… There’s been some suggestions that Arsenal needs a change of direction a change of voice. Can you understand that when someone’s been here so long at the club that people think that the memory of Arsenal now in the last fifteen years is just Arsene Wenger and what you’ve done with Arsenal?
A.W: Well I can understand that people criticise when results are not what’s expected. It looks like it’s become the modern way to think. I believe that somewhere sixteen years can be a handicap it can be as well an advantage you know? Because you have experience. You love the club because if I sit here it’s because I have already shown how much I love the club and as well we have come through difficult periods before and you know how to turn it around.
J7: Arsene when you look around the dressing room and you see. You look at your players do you see the belief that you get back from them is that what gives you the hunger for you carry on?
A.W: I believe that I have a strong team and if the moment you look at the season. We have not produced our performances at home. Away from home our performances are in the same bracket as the two top teams. Where we have lost the points is we have made too many draws at home. Man. U are top of the league with six points ahead and they’ve lost three games we’ve lost four but we’ve made more draws especially at home. That’s where we’ve lost the points.
J7: Could you see the hurt in the player. Everyone’s having a go at you but could you see the hurt in the players after the result the other night?
A.W: Yes. This team cares; it’s serious and it wants to do well. I don’t question the spirit of the team.
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Living in North America I definitely don’t read the British tabloids. In fact even when I lived there I wasn’t a huge fan of them. More gossip than fact. The journalists in this interview had their own agenda. Especially the second one who he seemed to me to be trying to evoke a reaction from Arsene. By focusing on the alleged Steve Bould rift.
I personally think Arsene is still focused on doing the very best for Arsenal. He’s under a huge amount of pressure to deliver results on a weekly basis but as he rightly points out. That’s his job.
As far as I’m concerned he’s doing exactly what he’s charged to do. Get the best out of the current team as he can.
Whether or not every fan believes that is another thing. The most important fact is that the manager believes in his team and wants them to win every game. Just like every other fan.
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